Cascading Fire
by Morningtheft
Summary: At the end of the land of wave arc a certain - truth - about Naruto is uncovered by Sasuke. Not Yoai. CAUTION: This story starts with an unpleasant scene but calms down afterward - if you find it offensive please skim past it the story improves.
1. Chapter 1

AU, this takes place just after the fight on the bridge - all characters will be OOC, this is a short story but I wanted something to write during a time when I don't have time to flesh out proper chapters for my other stories and so this came up - I liked the idea so... yeah.

* * *

Naruto sat on a branch half way up a tree at the edge of the clearing, as Sasuke entered he looked up and spotted him almost instantly.

"You saw didn't you?" Naruto said looking at him.

Sasuke nodded, "I don't know why but you're using a henge – my sharingan spotted it as soon as it awakened."

Naruto sighed, "I don't suppose there is any chance of you dropping this is there?"

Sasuke shook his head, "I need to know."

Naruto had a pained expression, "I need you to promise not to tell anyone."

"What, you have a big scar or something?"

Naruto scoffed, "If I did I would just live with it – this is not optional."

Sasuke frowned, "What is it then?"

Naruto jumped down and walked up to him stopping about a meter away, "Please Sasuke, don't judge me; your opinion means a hell of a lot to me."

Sasuke gave a sharp intake of breath; that was not something Naruto would normally ever admit to. Sasuke nodded, "I'll try."

Naruto looked thankful, "Kai."

As the smoke cleared Sasuke was no longer looking at a short blonde boy but instead a fairly attractive redheaded girl. Her height was the same as Naruto as was her build, she shared the same whisker marks on her cheeks and her mannerisms where the same but she was undoubtedly a girl. Where as the male Naruto looked a lot like the fourth this Naruto was blatantly the split of her mother; fiery red hair, piercing green eyes and a figure that was oddly mature.

"Wh…what?" Sasuke asked at last.

Naruto sighed, "After… certain events in my childhood the third saw fit to have me 'become a boy' as it where – I have played the part for as long as I can remember."

Sasuke was dumbstruck, "Why?"

Naruto sighed and sat down on a nearby low branch, sweeping her long red hair over her shoulder as she did so.

"That is quite a complicated question, and one that I wish I didn't have to answer – but I guess I trust you. Please Sasuke I beg of you, understand that this doesn't change who I am."

"Thirteen years ago when the Kyuubi attacked the village, the yondaime defeated it, not killed, defeated. His only option was to seal it into a child – me."

Lifting her top slightly she channelled some chakra revealing the seal, Sasuke said nothing so she continued.

"As for why this meant I had to become a boy, well, the villagers knew the Kyuubi was sealed into a child but they did not know who – until my third birthday."

"A pair of ANBU discovered my identity and took it upon themselves to assassinate me, fortunately there plan was foiled, but, when they where caught…" She shuddered lightly and held herself.

"They had already kidnapped me and taken me to an abandoned house – when the rescue squad arrived they had stripped me naked and had me bent over a stool."

Sasuke was beginning to feel sick.

"One of them was… preparing to…"

"Stop!" Sasuke shouted at last, "I can guess – please skip that part."

Naruto nodded shakily, "The medical report confirmed that I was still a virgin but if they had been even a little later…"

She shook violently, repressed emotions surging to the surface, "I WAS THREE YEARS OLD!" she screamed causing several nearby birds to take to the air.

She pulled her knees up against her chest and shook, unsure of himself Sasuke sat beside her and put an arm around her, she gratefully rested against him taking comfort in having someone to lean against, even if it was the stoic bastard.

"After that the third explained some things to me, from that point on my identity was made common knowledge, I was always under a genjutsu cast by nearby ANBU guards that made sure nothing got out of hand. You see they couldn't risk it happening again – if word got out that I was a redheaded girl…"

Sasuke nodded sadly, "It could happen to someone else."

"They made me a boy to reduce the risk of similar occurrences and the ANBU made sure that I never got too injured though allowances had to be made."

"That was how I met Kakashi-sensei you know – he was in charge of guarding me, he used to talk things through with me every morning and evening, make sure I was holding up ok. He was disgusted that I was treated as I was but it was a case of allow the villagers some hate or have it build up. So they where allowed to through me out or throw things at me, he would only step in if attacks became more… serious."

Naruto sighed, "And now you know – now you know that your team mate is a lying piece of shit who deserves to be erased from the village – someone who can't even tell her friends her gender."

Sasuke held her tighter, "That's not true."

Naruto scoffed, "Go on then Sasuke – tell me your opinion hasn't changed – tell me you feel the same about me as you did before."

Sasuke sighed, "You're right I don't."

Naruto shrunk into herself and tried to hold back the tears, "See."

Sasuke smiled, "My opinion of you has changed, and because of that I was wandering if you would like to go see a movie sometime?"

Naruto's eyes snapped up and she smiled, "Seriously?"

Sasuke smiled, "Seriously. I can honestly say that now I know you're a girl I am interested in you, unlike the others you care about being a decent Shinobi and you are one hell of a looker."

Naruto blushed, "This could prove interesting though."

"Oh? And why's that?"

Naruto smiled, "Because I have to walk around the village as a boy."

Sasuke turned several shades of red before calming down, "Who says?"

Naruto frowned, "The third!"

"But the immediate danger has passed, everyone in the village knows you as a loudmouth blond boy, if you date me as a loudmouth redhead girl then no one will know it's you – and it has the added benefit of soving you from my fan girls."

Naruto grimaced and nodded, "Ok then Teme – it's a date."

* * *

Walking back to Konoha across the 'Great Naruto Bridge' team seven where celebrating a mission well done.

"Ne, Ne, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura was asking excitedly.

"What kind of girls do you like?"

Sasuke stared off into the distance for a moment, "I like redheads, with beautiful green eyes and lots of energy."

Sakura stopped in shock, partly because she got a serious answer but mainly because Sasuke seemed to be thinking of someone specific – and it was not her.

Kakashi meanwhile raised an eyebrow and looked over to a blushing Naruto, he smiled under his mask, _'good' _he thought, _'It's about time she told someone, and I get the feeling this will help both of them.'_


	2. Blue dress

Sorry but a really long AN - I have put a double line at the bottom so if you want scroll straight down to that for the story.

Sorry if subscribers got an email telling them of a new chapter a while ago - I had forgoten to edit the chapter so had to take it down again.

AN: I hate to point fingers and say 'what an idiot' but I think it is necessary at the moment. I recieved a PM from a member of FF net after putting up my first chapter that read:

"sorry, but your new story crossed the line for me."

Nothing more, nothing less - that was the entire contents of the message. So I sent an apology that I admit that the rape scene in the last chapter was rather extreme and I assured them that nothing of the sort would be repeated in the story but I felt it had been necessary to explain the necessity of Naruto's male disguise. I urged the person to read on if they could forgive this and asked that if they truly found it offensive then perhaps they could suggest a better warning for the summary to prevent peopel with similar viewpoints from being offended.

I felt that this was a civil way of dealing with the issue but I turned out to be wrong in what they had been offended by, I revieved this:

"i did not get that far, i was simply referring to the fact you decided to  
change Naruto's gender. i despise people whohat, i gave it a chance once and  
it ruins the whole thing. i will not ever read female naruto story and i do  
not read any stories written by those authors who believe doing that is a good  
idea."

I was mildly offended by this, looking back through my email records revealed that the person in question had previoulsy added me to their author alerts, favourite authors, favourite story (Birth of the Divine Fox) and reviewed my stories multiple times. I therefore feel it necessary to say loudly and clearly to all readers - this person is an idiot.

To rule off an author you have previously enjoyed stories by just because you do not like one story that they have written is purile and benenfits no one - what do you expect to happen? Do you expect me to grovel back saying; 'please read my stories, I deleted that awful one'?

Well that won't happen - I will repeat something I have read a lot of other authors say and I find it to be true - I write my stories because I like the, not to make you happy - that is a bonus. I love it when people enjoy my stories and I am often surprised by it. I am aware a lot of people do not like this set up or this pairing but that does not mean they will not enjoy my other stories. I have not recieved a single pm regarding 'to love a demon' telling me that pairing Naruto with Kyuubi was wrong - or that making Kuubi a girl was wrong so why Naruto?

Grow up and get an open mind, I don't like all the stories by authors I respect - I love stories by pervysage89 to name one but there are more than a few stories that they have written I have no intention of reading and similarly I loved the majority I have read. Peoples opinions are different and viewpoints are different - we will never agree all the time.

Ok - sorry about that but it really pissed me off - on with the story:

* * *

Sasuke arrived at the arranged meeting place five minutes early, even after being trained by Kakashi he was not willing to be a minute late to anything. After just two minutes of waiting he saw the arrival of his date.

Naruto walked toward him slowly trying not to let her nerves show on her face, she felt oddly naked without her usual henge and was very aware of all the men giving her odd looks. As she approached Sasuke he smiled slightly – a great feat for the stoic Uchiha, which she returned, but she was still intensely aware of the looks of passers by.

"Good evening." Sasuke said.

"Good evening," Naruto replied, "Couldn't I have gone out with you as… well you know – everyone's staring, I think they know who I am."

Sasuke smirked, "That's not whey their staring idiot."

Naruto pouted, "Don't call me an idiot – and why are they staring?" Naruto added self-consciously pulling down the edges of her dress.

Sasuke smiled and took in her appearance, her fiery red hair cascaded down her back, her green eyes where so striking you could tell their colour across a darkened room and she was wearing a simple blue dress that showed her figure perfectly.

"They are looking because you look stunning."

Naruto turned through about seven shades of red before gently punching Sasuke's arm.

"By the way," Sasuke added, "I didn't know you owned any dresses."

"Kakashi-sensei buys me one for my birthday every year," she said looking down and smoothing out imaginary wrinkles, "he says 'a girl should at least own a few dresses even if she can't wear them'."

Sasuke smirked, "Well anyway – shall we head in?" he motioned to the cinema.

"Sure." Naruto said with a smile.

Across the street Sakura and Ino where silently fuming, "Who the hell was that?" Ino asked at last.

"I don't know but she matches the description he gave me for the kind of girl he likes!" Sakura replied equally angry.

They had been following him and where surprised to see him stop to wait for someone – they had just been contemplating asking him to do something with them when that… that… hussy showed up.

"Come on!" Ino shouted walking away from Sakura.

"Where are you going? The cinema is over there!"

"I am going to call an emergency meeting of the Sasuke fan club!"

* * *

When Kakashi arrived at the teams usual meeting place the following morning he was surprised to see a dark atmosphere surrounding the team – well around Sakura to be exact.

The pink haired girl was busy glaring at Sasuke while he and Naruto stood a little closer together than usual having an animated conversation, well Naruto was – Sasuke was mostly listening impassiveyly, about nothing in particular. If he didn't know better he could almost sea the flowery backdrop and the sparkly lights surround the Uchiha and Uzumaki.

Putting two and two together with what he heard during the trip back from wave it was not hard to see what had happened – after all he was aware that every kunoichi in the village had this morning been discussing a mystery 'slut' seen with Sasuke last night.

He sighed and decided to get this over with quickly – it was not his job to interfere with their love lives unless it interfered with their teamwork. He rapidly handed them their Chunin exam applications before exiting stage right.

As they walked away from the meeting area Sasuke and Naruto where still talking, Sakura was following close behind listening for any hint of Sasuke's date last night in their conversation, speaking of which weren't they oddly close today?

"I'm telling you that it is perfectly possible, they where all lined up on front of him so the bullet could have gone through all of them!"

"No way in hell dobe, bullets are small and deform easily – a well thrown Kunai maybe but not a bullet."

"It so could!"

"Whatever dobe."

The two continued in silence walking very close together – Sakura noticed this but just assumed they had grown closer recently, she didn't know how right she was.

"Ano… what are you two talking about?" Sakura asked cautiously.

"A film – have you seen it yet? It's about an archaeologist hunting for the Holy Grail!" Naruto shouted excitedly.

Sakura blinked, "That only just came out, when did you see it?"

"Last night!" Naruto said energetically before having her foot stood on by Sasuke,

"Really? I was near the cinema last night and I didn't see you." Sakura said eyeing Sasuke, she couldn't care less about Naruto but if she questioned him it would seem more innocent when she questioned Sasuke.

Naruto scratched the back of her head, Sasuke answered for her though, "He watched it with me yesterday afternoon."

Sakura was hurt and surprised – Sasuke went with Naruto but not her? And he took a girl that very evening?

"But Sasuke – I saw you at the cinema with a girl yesterday evening!"

Sasuke stiffened even more than usual and Naruto did not respond but her eyes indicated a little surprise, "Hn." Sasuke started, "it was a date – I went with Naruto first to check the film out."

Sakura seemed to by this but wandered why the two seemed to be acting so suspiciously, "So who was the date with, Sasuke-_kun_?" She emphasised the last part trying to hurt him but it had no effect – she did not notice but it affected Naruto more than Sasuke.

"A girl I am interested in, unlike you she trains hard, gives her all to being a Shinobi and doesn't throw herself at me." Sasuke's voice though as neutral as normal could be seen to be tinted with a little pride in the girl in question.

Naruto blushed but only Sasuke noticed, "Come on Naruto – let's go get something to eat."

Naruto nodded leaving a stunned Sakura behind, after a few seconds the cherry haired girl ran off to tell the others in the Sasuke fan club what she had heard."

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke had eaten a quick meal at Ichiraku before heading toward an area where no one would see Naruto transform. Sasuke preferred Naruto to be in her 'real' form when they where out together and Naruto was starting to get used to it.

Walking into a blind alley Naruto dropped the disguise and they walked out the other end as the new couple that was the talk of the town. It was at this moment that Sasuke decided to ask about something that had been bugging him.

"Naruto,"

"Yes?"

"How do you keep the Henge up even when you are asleep or under attack?"

Naruto smiled and lifted up her left sleeve revealing a seal roughly the size and shape of a playing card on her upper arm, "The old man designed this for me, it took him a while but after a few years of having to be under ANBU cast genjutsu he finally finished it."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked allowing his curiosity to show in this now comfortable presence.

"It's a special type of seal based genjutsu – it's a relative of the Henge but somewhat different – I can cancel and erect it at will but when active it does not rely on my consciousness to run, it pulls my chakra automatically and holds a reserve good for a day if I run out."

Sasuke ogled, "That is an impressive seal, you can maintain Henge for indefinate time periods without thinking about it?"

"In a sense, but due to the limitations of seal based chakra manipulation it has to be completely redesigned for any other forms – this only allows me to transform into a blonde, male version of myself."

Sasuke nodded in comprehension, "Still it is a phenomenal piece of work – it must have taken Hokage-samma a long time to create."

Naruto smiled, "According to him it took the best part of two months not including the time he spent doing his normal tasks."

Sasuke again showed an uncharacteristic amount of emotion in actually gawking at Naruto, "Wow, he really took looking after you seriously."

Naruto smiled and laced her hand into his, "He said he owed my parents some favours."

Sasuke blushed at the contact, "So you know who your parents are?"

Naruto frowned, "He won't tell me, he says it is for my safety – but he did seem really apologetic about it, he said he really wanted to but this was for the best."

Sasuke frowned as well, "I wonder why – did he give you no clues at all?"

Naruto smiled slightly, "He said I was the splitting image of my mother."

Sasuke smiled too, "I am sure she was a wonderful person."

"Thank you Sasuke-kun." Naruto said smiling again.

"No problem – Naruto-chan."

The couple smiled at each other as they walked along the street, most passers by smiled at the young couple, thankful to see the Uchiha open up to someone.

All of a sudden, as the two walked in comfortable silence to nowhere in particular, a yell was heard and a group of angry looking Kunoichi jumped in front of them.

"All right!" Ino yelled, "Just who the hell are you and what are you doing with Sasuke-kun?"


	3. Crossing a line

As before skip to next line break if you don't want to read the authors note

AN: Well firstly I would like to thank you all for the surprising amount of positive feedback on just two chapters, and also to those of you that agreed with my statements about ignoring an author based on one story - it seems that it annoys other people too.

It also seems that I was worried over nothing with the rape scene - a lot of people told me that it didn't bother them too much, I honestly don't like it and didn't like witing it but I feel it was necessary. To quote one of my reviewers:

"You did a good job on the rape part. While it was quite... descriptive, it  
added the real need for the henge."

That was what I was aiming for - thank you all and keep reviewing.

* * *

"All right!" Ino yelled, "Just who the hell are you and what are you doing with Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke groaned and Naruto frowned, neither of them wanted to deal with Sasuke's fan girls right now – especially when the mood had been so good not ten seconds earlier.

"What do you want Ino?" Sasuke asked, his previously open stance and expression instantly closed to the world again, the only hint of his previous attitude was that he still held Naruto's hand.

"We want to know who this is!" Sakura shouted from next to her friend/rival.

Naruto looked at Sasuke pleadingly – a look he could tell meant 'anything but the truth'.

"That is none of your business," Sasuke said simply, "Now if you don't mind you are kind of interrupting!"

Naruto put her free hand on Sasuke's upper arm and he calmed slightly, "Sasuke – perhaps I should go home for now, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Sasuke looked at her sadly, "Ok, see you tomorrow." With a light squeeze of his hand Naruto broke away and hopped onto a nearby roof disappearing from view.

Sasuke's gaze followed her until she was no longer visible, at which point he brought his gaze down to the group of girls in front of him.

"You have crossed a line today." He said with more than a little annoyance in his voice, "You stalk me, you spread rumours about me, you fantasize over me – all those I can cope with even if they annoy me. But to actually interfere when I find someone I am actually interested in? I don't want to see any of you anywhere near me for a hell of a long time or I just don't know what I might do."

Sasuke hopped onto a nearby rooftop and darted away.

The girls didn't dare look at each other, after a long pause Sakura finally spoke up, "We really blew it didn't we."

A set of nodded agreements came from the congregated girls.

* * *

Naruto sat on top of the fourths head, tears running down her cheeks – "Damn it!" she shouted, "I promised myself I wouldn't cry again, and now I cry over a stupid guy?"

A chuckle came from behind her, turning she saw the third walking up behind her, "I was most curious when I heard the description of the young woman seen with the village idol," he said in a kindly voice coming up and standing beside her, "It has been a long time since I have seen you looking like that, Sayuri-chan."

Naruto blinked wiping away her tears but she remained sat on the ground holding her knees, "I told you not to call me that."

The old man chuckled, "So you did, but could you forgive an old man his memory?"

Naruto didn't respond.

"I hear that you have caused quite the stir, a mysterious redhead that no one has seen before coming and steeling our Uchiha prince."

"I haven't stolen anything – he asked me out and I said yes."

The old man sighed, "You have to understand Naruto, from their perspective you have. Those girls have been chasing after Sasuke for years, they all assumed that one day he would pick one of them but you swooped in, apparently from nowhere, and took him."

"We've been on one date!"

The third chuckled again, "You grew up as a boy, something I wish had not been necessary, but as a consequence you have a boys perspective on this. Neither you or Sasuke believe that anything will necessarily come of this but you have to understand, a lot of younger girls are excitable – they will start fantasising about wedding decorations on the first date."

Naruto turned white as a sheet, "Me… marry… _Sasuke_?"

The third couldn't help but laugh loudly now – "There's no need to be so scared Naruto-chan, you two have a much more grown up image of your relationship – you are both just seeing where it goes. Now I would like to have you talk with the Jounin-sensei of team eight."

"Why?"

"Well I am going to let her know about your situation and then have her talk to you about some things."

"What things?" Naruto asked suspiciously.

"Well now you are dating I think it's time someone gave you the talk." He said walking away.

Naruto coughed and spluttered before shouting, "Ero-Jiji!"

* * *

To say things where strained when team seven showed up at the bridge ready to go to the Chunin exams would be an understatement. Sakura could not look at Sasuke – she was too ashamed, Naruto could not look at Sasuke – the contents of Kurenai's 'talk' kept floating into her mind and Sasuke couldn't look at Naruto – what in hells name had the Hokage been thinking when he had Kakashi give him the talk?

They made there way in silence through the building to hand in their applications, none of them paying a second thought to the activity on the second floor, their feet taking them on autopilot straight past it. It came as something of a surprise to see Kakashi waiting for them outside the door, he smiled at them and Sasuke tried to hide the blush threatening his face when he caught sight of that all too familiar orange book – now he knew the contents it was worse.

"Yo." Kakashi greeted.

All he got in return was awkward silence, a seat drop formed on Kakashi's head – maybe he was going to have to interfere soon, after all it had begun to interfere with their teamwork.

Kakashi sighed, "I know there is some tension between all of you at the moment but I suggest you all forget it and get working as a team again – I didn't tell you before as I wanted it to be each of your individual choices but the exam is taken _as a team_. You are Shinobi act like it! Leave your personal problems aside and get in there!"

As they strode into the exam room they where surprised by the sheer number of foreign Shinobi from nations they had barely heard of, where the hell was the land of mud?

They where rapidly snapped out of there reverie however by a shouted greeting from Kiba, a stoic Shino behind him and a blushing Hinata beside him.

"Hey guys!" Naruto called back, "You got entered in the Chunin exam too?"

"Of course! We're the strongest rookie team?"

"As well as that may be I would recommend you keep your voices down – you are attracting a lot of attention from other teams." The voice came form an oddly calm older boy with silver hair; he seemed to give off a vibe that said 'trust me' which might be the reason that Naruto was so reluctant to.

"And who might you be?"

"The name is Kabuto, this is my fifth time taking the exam – I guess this is your first?"

"Seventh? How hard is this?" Kiba asked incredulously.

"Oh very, in fact here – take a look."

Fishing out a card Kabuto placed it on the ground so they could see that it was a map with various numbers indicating the numbers of applicants from various countries. After studying the map for a few moments Naruto gave a triumphant laugh, "So that's where the land of mud is!"

Sakura bopped him on the head, Sasuke however was curious, "You wouldn't happen to have information on specific people in there would you?"

"Of course!" Kabuto said, demonstrating by revealing Sasuke's own card, "An A-rank mission – that's very impressive, and a Sharingan user, I'll have to keep an eye out for you if you will excuse the pun."

"What about me?" Naruto asked.

"Hmm… let me see – here we go, Uzumaki Naruto – not your original name apparently though I don't seem to have that. You have kage bunshin and are reported to be adept in fast thinking."

"Hold on – not your original name?" Kiba asked.

"Don't look at me – I didn't know!" Naruto attempted to cover.

"Hn," Sasuke said for him, "Hokage probably changed it when he took you out the orphanage." Naruto gave Sasuke a glance that no one caught but Sasuke knew meant, 'thanks'.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak again when a voice bellowed across the room, "Alright punks get in your seats the exam is about to begin!"


	4. Oneechan

AN: I am amazed at the rapid response to this story, I put up a story a short while ago called 'to love a demon' which has now been up about six weeks, however this story has been up four days and already has more reviews, alerts, favourites and C2's than tLaD. I quite like this chapter - well to be more exact the second part, I like the idea that Naruto would bond to someone like her - particularly with their similar pasts. Longer chapter this time as I didn't do one yesterday (shame on me), I was quite busy and then just tired. Please excuse the first part of this chapter as I wrote it at about half one this morning during a random bout of insomnia (yes despite saying I was tired - the two seem to come together with me).

* * *

"…two marks for each time you are caught, any questions?" The room was silent, "You may begin."

Naruto looked down at her exam and frowned – she was totally screwed, absolutely fucked. The questions seemed to vary from impossibly hard to impossible, her eyes drew to the third question; 'Explain, with assistance of a diagram, the process of dividing chakra between two or more bunshin assuming that the jutsu is performed without interference from residual chakra and that the caster has not yet expended any chakra. If you so wish you may make use of a chakra dissipation chart.'

Naruto stared at the question for a moment before allowing her head to fall against the desk loudly causing several people to look round. "Number 37," Came a loud voice, "Please refrain from distracting other candidates."

Naruto nodded meekly before staring at the question paper again.

Hinata noticed Naruto's depression and wandered if 'he' had failed to notice the real reason for the test – giving 'him' the benefit of the doubt she decided 'he' must simply lack any suitable Jutsu.

Hinata lowered her head so that her eyes where hidden from view by her hair before activating her Byukagan, she had to stifle a gasp as she caught sight of Naruto from the corner of her eye.

She'd seen it before but never from this close and it was just as mysterious, it was actually one of the things that had first made her pay attention to the 'boy' in the first place.

Naruto was for all intents and purposes invisible to her byukagan, well maybe invisible was the wrong word – it was more a case of 'he' was _too_ visible. She could not see 'his' outline at all as 'he' was entirely coated in chakra, it prevented her from seeing anything about 'him' – she could not see 'his' coil network or even 'his' hair colour when her byukagan was active.

All she could see was the outline of a person in bright blue chakra, also she noted that it seemed to almost pinch around 'his' left shoulder.

To a Hyuuga this added nothing short of an air of mystery to Naruto – for once a person she could _not_ see through.

She quickly shook off her amazement and began copying the work of a boy sat three rows behind her who seemed to know all the answers.

* * *

Naruto continued to glare at the exam in the hope that somehow one of the questions might jump up and shout at her 'This is the answer – isn't it obvious!' but no such luck.

There where only a couple of minutes left until the tenth question was revealed, her attention was drawn by a subtle movement to her right, Hinata was facing forward leaning on one hand while the other subtly moved her answer sheet so that Naruto could read it, across the top there was a note:

'_Not much time left – copy mine.'_

Naruto smiled and subtly shifted the paper back and commented under her breath, "I would rather one of us fail than both, thanks for the offer though."

At that moment a Kunai zipped across the room and embedded itself into Naruto's desk, with a sigh of relief she realised it had been aimed at the person in front of her but they had moved.

Relaxing she realised just how tense she been made by the sudden arrival of the Kunai and tried to relax – she was banking everything on this last question.

"Alright!" Ibiki shouted across the room, "It's time for the tenth question, but first I must introduce a set of rules specific to this question and this question only."

"New rules?" Questioned Sakura.

Ibiki nodded, "This question is an all or nothing question, if you get it right then no problem, however, if you should answer it incorrectly you will not only fail the exam but will not be allowed to take it ever again!"

A murmur spread through the room before Ibiki banged his fist on the table, "NEED I REMIND YOU THAT YOU ARE STILL UNDER EXAM CONDITIONS?" He bellowed across the room.

Silence fell immediately, "That's better, now, due to this you can now make a choice on whether or not you want to take the question; if you choose not to you can try again next exam, if you choose to take it and get it wrong – well I already told you that didn't I?" He said with a maniacal grin.

"If you want to leave raise your hands now!"

A boy at the back of the room raised his hand, "12, 23, 71 – fail!"

Naruto looked round nervously – what if the last question was as hard as the other nine?

"36, 28, 3 – fail!"

Naruto flinched at the word fail – if she gave up she could always try again.

"…17, 54 – fail!"

The word 'fail' echoed through her head – she didn't think she could do this.

"…64 – fail!"

More and more people where raising their hands – surely that made it ok to be one of them?

"… fail!"

If she gave up now Sakura and Sasuke would understand – after all if she failed the final question they might be banned from ever retaking as well – Ibiki never mentioned whether it was one person or the whole team.

"Fail!"

Naruto flinched and prepared to raise her hand, _'I'm sorry, Sakura, Sasuke…'_ she thought, _'Sasuke'_ she repeated in her mind.

"Fail!"

What would he think of her giving up – didn't he like her because she never gave up, because she tried her hardest to be a Shinobi without thinking of the consequences?

"Fail!"

Suddenly the word didn't seem so bad – she had heard it so many times, what was once more?

"Fail!"

She slammed her partially raised hand down onto her desk and shouted loudly, "Bull-shit!" elongating the word for emphasis.

The room turned silent and looked at her, Sakura frowned and Sasuke smacked his face – he was really dating _her_?

"Excuse me?" Ibiki asked glaring at her.

"I said '_bullshit_'," she repeated, "I don't care what you say about preventing us from retaking the exam, there are ways round that! ANBU have been known to take kids out the academy if they are skilled enough!"

Ibiki raised an eyebrow, certainly it was true but it was the exception not the rule, "Is that right?" he asked a false tone of curiosity in his voice.

"Yes it is, and what kind of question is this anyway? We're Shinobi for Christ's sake – we can't choose not to do something just because the risks are high, if we could there no one would take any missions!"

Ibiki was actually curious now – whether this genin knew it or not they had seen right to core of the exam, "Well well well, seems we have a clever one – does anyone else want to leave?"

Looking around the room he saw nothing but determination on their faces, "It seems your speech has bolstered everyone's confidence," he gave Naruto a meaningful look, "However it was dead on."

Naruto's eyebrows rose as Ibiki continued, "For the first time since I began this exam someone has seen it's true purpose, I propose to you a hypothetical situation,"

"A what?" Naruto asked.

Ibiki glared at her, "If you are given a mission by your Kage telling you to head in against unknown forces, with the lives of your team on the line, to recover information vital to the survival of your village – would you take that mission?"

Nods filled the room along with muttered agreement, "That was the tenth question – although there is a space on your exam paper you do not need it as you have all already answered the tenth question, it was 'will you leave if the stakes get too high?'"

"Eh?"

Ibiki sighed, "The mere fact that you are still here means that you passed the first exam." He simplified.

"What about the other nine questions?" Temari asked from the back of the room.

"They where there to weed out people without the skills to even be asked the tenth question – it was necessary to cheat to pass the first part," Naruto tried not to make her surprise _too_ obvious, "those who cheated in am obvious manner where ejected – if you go on a mission to retrieve information and are careless you will be spotted – people may let it slide the first time but you don't get many chances, hence the marking system."

The room was quiet and Ibiki opened his mouth again to speak when a loud crash filled the room and a ball flew through the window, Kunai flew into the four walls and a large banner reading "Mitirashi Anko – Second Test Examiner!" in big letters stretched In front of them.

Standing in an odd pose before them was a beautiful, if sluttily dressed, Kunoichi with purple hair.

Pushing the banner aside Ibiki whispered into her ear, "Not well timed."

Looking around the room Anko frowned, her gaze stopped on Naruto, "Kid!" she shouted, Naruto looked at her for a few moments.

"Anko-chan?" she asked looking like she had seen a ghost.

A vein popped up on Anko's forehead, jumping across the room she pummelled the top of Naruto's head, "How many times do I have to tell you – it's 'Nee-chan' not 'Anko-chan'!"

Naruto apologised while rubbing the top of her head, Anko declared that they should all follow her to the second part of the exam and dragged Naruto with her to talk as the went.

* * *

"How you been kid?" she asked as she walked, "Still going with that get up I see." her words chosen carefully in case anyone overheard.

Naruto nodded, "It can't really be helped, and I don't think anyone would accept the sudden change if I 'turned back' as it where."

Anko nodded, "I have heard an interesting rumour though," She said with a sadistic smirk, looking behind her she caught a glance of Naruto's team mates just out of earshot at the front of the group following her to the second exam venue, "I'm surprised he's your type though."

"I could say the same about Iru…" Naruto suddenly found a hand clamped over his mouth and a Kunai to her throat.

"Finish that statement and I will show you're boyfriend over there your baby pictures." Her voice was so calm that Naruto shuddered involuntarily, she nodded slowly.

"You know, it's good to know I can still scare you."

"You could scare the fucking Kyuubi, Ouch!" Naruto let out a yelp of pain as Anko smacked her on the top of the head.

"I don't care what you think of me but swear around me again and my previous threat stands." Naruto nodded, relieved that this time Anko's voice held a hint of humour.

"Well I guess we should separate – don't want the others thinking I show favouritism!" She said cheerily.

"I think it's a bit late for that – they probably assumed favouritism when you shouted at me to call you 'Nee-san' in front of them all."

Anko had the good graces to scratch the back of her head and give a little nervous laughter, "Well you called me 'Anko-chan', there is only one person I will ever let call me that."

Naruto smirked and opened her mouth but Anko cut in, "I have those pictures on me you know."

Naruto's mouth snapped shut again, after a moment's silence she spoke again, "Why do you have my baby pictures on you?"

"Because they're cute!" She said as if expecting that to answer any possible questions on the subject.

"But that doesn't explain…"

"Because I missed you." She said sadly.

There was a pause, "I missed you too… Nee-san."

* * *

Naruto had dropped back next to her team mates who where walking in silence, eventually Sasuke decided to speak up, "Where in hells name do you know a woman like _her_ from?" He asked as a Kunai whipped passed his cheek.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Anko asked in a sickly sweet voice from her new place behind Sasuke.

Sasuke gave an involuntary shudder and gave an uncharacteristically squeaky, "Nothing." As an answer.

"That's what I thought." Anko said, walking out in front again Naruto turned to Sasuke and spoke in a tone low enough that he would be the only one to hear. "She worked with Kaka-sensei to look after me as a kid, unlike Kakashi she was a bit more… active."

"How so?" Sasuke asked in an equally low tone.

"She had a similar problem with the villagers to me when she was younger – I won't tell you why, as it isn't my story to tell, but because of it she empathised with me. Where as Kakashi did his job and nothing more she used to help me repair my things, help cook, supply me with things the villagers wouldn't sell me… the list goes on."

Sasuke nodded sadly, "I'm glad you had her."

Naruto looked sad for a moment, "Sadly for us both she was reassigned, they needed her skills in another branch of the ANBU so I rarely got to see her. In fact I hadn't seen her for nearly a year until today – she was assigned to a long term mission outside the village." Naruto blinked a few times, "I cried so much when she left."

She was expecting Sasuke to make a remark about weakness or about strengthening up but he said nothing for a time before finally saying, "I think... I can understand that."

Naruto looked at him in surprise, "I cried for weeks when my family died, until I decided I would never cry again – but two years ago they found a necklace that had belonged to my mother among some things she leant one of her friends. When I saw it I broke down – the damn burst, I imagine it was the same for you. You have been alone your whole life so, when you gained a big sister in this woman it made you happy – even when she could only see you occasionally. But to be told you will not see her again for such a long time… she was the only family you ever knew. If I where you I would say 'sod appearances' and run over there and show her how much you missed her."

Naruto broke into a smile, "I knew there was a reason I liked you!" she said cheerily before running toward Anko who had just reached their destination and was about to welcome everyone to the training grounds where the second test would be held.

As she turned she watched a ball of yellow and orange ball into her chest and hug her tightly, "Onee-san… welcome back!"

Anko smiled returning the hug and ignoring the other entrants, "I'm home" she said simply offering Sasuke a smile of thanks as he stood quietly to one side.


	5. Heaven

AN: I don't like the fight with the rock-nin in this chapter but I can't seem to get it to work no matter how I try so please bare with it. I am hoping to get this story written quite quickly as you can probably tell (five chapters in six days), I already have most of the next chapter written and will shortly begin writing the seventh. When I said this story was not going to be long I wasn't kidding but it does seem to be getting longer as I write it... I get the feeling it will take much longer to get to the end than I enitially thought. Oh well.

* * *

Team seven jumped from tree to tree trying to distance themselves from their entry point to the forest as fast as possible. Some quick calculations by Sasuke worked out that the nearest team to them as they entered would be at least six minutes away at full speed giving them plenty of time to discuss tactics.

"Naruto," Sasuke said pushing a light beige scroll with the kanji for 'heaven' written on a strip at the centre, "Take this and hide it among your things."

"Why me?" Naruto asked.

'_Yeah, why him?'_ Sakura thought inwardly.

"Because of several reasons; firstly you are almost as fast as me, secondly you can split into Kage Bunshin and escape with the scroll and thirdly everyone will expect _me_ to have it."

Naruto nodded, "Ok Sasuke-kun." She said sliding the scroll into her pouch.

'_Sasuke-__**kun**__?'_ Sakura thought _'What the hell?'_

Sasuke sent Naruto a silent glance drawing her attention to her slip, thinking quickly she laughed nervously, "Sasuke-_kun_? I spend too much time around you Sakura-chan! Don't let it go to your head teme!"

Sasuke grunted giving Naruto a smirk only she could see and she winked at him, for the time being at least, it seemed that Sakura bought it.

"Not that I mind watching the dobe humiliate himself but we should start thinking strategy, we need another scroll and fast – the sooner we get out the forest the better. Naruto – did your sister give any hints?"

"Sorry Teme, she said she couldn't show favouritism."

Sasuke nodded, "I can respect her for that but it doesn't help us, any suggestions for strategies."

Sakura was reeling; Sasuke, _her_ Sasuke, was asking Naruto for help – and then he even included her, useless her, in asking for suggestions. She was at a loss as to what had come over the stoic Uchiha she fell in love with – he was even more attractive now that he was willing to accept help. She would kill that bitch that had stolen him or seduce him away from her at the very least!

Snapping back to reality she became aware that her team mates where finalising a plan, "…then we simply remove the scroll before they realise, there is a problem though."

Sasuke nodded, "Neither of us know that particular genjustsu… Sakura?"

"Y-yes?" She asked surprised to be addressed.

"How competent are you with mirrored opponent technique?"

Sakura frowned, "I can cast it easy enough but it I can't hold it for more than about ten seconds." She felt ashamed at that moment – she was expecting them to laugh at her expense or Sasuke to be appalled at her inability to help.

Sasuke looked over to Naruto, "Reckon that's long enough?"

Sakura's neck snapped up, he didn't care… he honestly didn't care if that was poor as long as it got the job done – she just hoped Naruto's answer was affirmative.

Naruto nodded, "More than, I reckon if you can identify the target I will need three at best – eight at worst."

Sasuke nodded, "Ok Sakura – it's a simple plan but it relies on timing…"

* * *

Anko sat in the observations post next to the Hokage, in front of them where a long series of monitors and readouts.

"What did you call me here for this early Anko?" the old man asked eyeing her curiously.

"This," she said pulling down her jacket to reveal her curse seal, "It began burning just before the second exam began – that usually means…"

"… that Orochimaru is nearby, any idea what he is after?"

"I would have thought it obvious sir."

Sarutobi nodded solemnly, "Yes but I was hoping you would answer with something else."

"Should we cancel the exam sir?" Anko asked.

"No, to do that would mean losing face."

"Sir! Surely keeping face is not worth the risk?"

Sarutobi shook his head, "I think Sasuke can take care of himself."

"To be honest sir I don't really care that much about the bastard – I do care that my little sister is on his team and would obviously kill herself protecting him!" Anko's eyes had become dangerous and the final parts of her speech had grown in volume to the point where she was almost shouting at the aging Hokage.

"Anko," Sarutobi began, still calm and collected, "I understand that you are worried about their safety and as such I will allow you to send a squad of ANBU in to try and find him."

"Send me in instead! I know him better and I can find him more easily!"

The old man shook his head sadly; "We can't risk rumours of favouritism now can we? Naruto has already come close to creating an incident we simply can't risk another close call."

Anko nodded in acceptance, "Could you at least send in Iruka to pick them up when they finish?"

Sarutobi frowned, "Why Iruka?"

Anko grinned, "Can't send me – I'm the invigilator, can't send Kashi – he's their sensei, that just leaves Iruka among the people I would trust around Naruto."

The old man chuckled, "agreed." With that he turned and left with much on his mind.

* * *

Sasuke held up three fingers as Sakura started her handseals, he dropped to two and activated his Sharingan, on one he jumped out from his hiding place and darted toward the three rock Shinobi relaxing by the roots of a tree.

As soon as he jumped out they where on guard, two jumping forward and the other behind them, it took Sasuke a split second to identify which one of them had the scroll, Sasuke made a tora seal – a prearranged signal to Naruto for which one had the scroll while not giving away they knew.

The three rock-nin watched as Sasuke and Naruto ran toward them in step, just before they reached Naruto disappeared and they became aware that he was behind them and had already grabbed the scroll from the rock-nin's pouch, continuing to run past Sasuke, Naruto made for the tree line just as Sasuke announced his Jutsu.

"Grand Fireball!" he shouted producing a huge ball of fire that covered Naruto producing thirty Kage bunshin which all cast henge to look like team seven, covering their escape.

The rock-nin where left with no scroll and unsure of what happened or which team seven to follow.

Sasuke smirked as they ran off leaving the rock nin behind, "Mission accomplished, nice job Naruto, good work with the genjutsu Sakura."

Sakura nodded and blushed, "I still can't work out what you needed it for though – I couldn't see from where I was stood."

Naruto smiled and explained, "Me and Sasuke ran at them from opposite sides of the clearing – using the mirror you cast they watched my reflection approach next to Sasuke and thought we where heading from the same direction."

Sasuke picked it up, "Naruto made a quick grab for the scroll and I used my grand fireball technique to distract them while Naruto made clones."

Sakura nodded as understanding dawned, "and they didn't know which group to chase."

Naruto smiled, "Now all we need to do is get to the…" A massive explosion cut her short as the trees around them where scattered, a gust of wind blew Naruto away from the rest of the group.

Picking himself up quickly Sasuke called over to Sakura, "You ok Sakura?"

"I think so, where's Naruto?" She called back.

"I'm ok I'm right here!" Called the blond as she ran into the group.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, something was wrong, "Naruto, when we went to see a film the other night – what did I say about the way you where dressed when you arrived?"

Sakura's eyes widened then narrowed, it seemed clear to her that Sasuke didn't believe that this was the real Naruto – however she could only play along for now not knowing the answer.

"You told me to lose the orange jumpsuit."

Sakura sighed in relief but Sasuke had thrown a Kunai at Naruto… apparently that was the wrong answer.

* * *

Naruto pulled herself to her feet, looking around it became apparent that she had been blown a long way by that gust of wind, she prepared to make her way back when she spotted something blocking her path. It was long, scaly and about as thick as Kiba… this did not look good.

* * *

Sakura was laying unconscious on the ground as Sasuke stood over her, a strong kick aimed for his back had instead connected with her chest as she moved to protect him and she was now paying the price.

Sasuke held his upper left arm trying to stem the blood that was flowing freely from the wound, "Ku Ku Ku, I see that you are concerned with your team mate – a foolish attitude, but no matter, it is one you will lose with her death.

From his mouth came a long sword that flew toward Sakura as his neck extended grotesquely – Sasuke knew he would never make it in time, with Sharingan active he could only watch in painful detail as the blade made it's way to his unconscious team mate – it stopped, however, just short of penetrating the girls chest. Instead the blade was caught between two blades wielded by a cat masked ANBU.

"Ho – it seems I will have to retreat for now, but first let me give you a little gift." Withdrawing his neck he bit Sasuke on the shoulder before bouncing off chased by two of the four ANBU that had arrived on the scene.

"Can you continue?" The cat masked ANBU that had caught the blade asked.

"Yes, why are you here?" Sasuke asked.

"That," ANBU nodded in the direction Orochimaru had run in, "Was an S-class missing nin – we're here to catch him. As you can continue we will go assist our comrades."

The cat masked ANBU made a hand motion to his compatriot and they ran off following the others.

It was at this point that Naruto stumbled into the clearing, Sasuke brought up a Kunai, "What did I say about your clothes when we sent to the cinema?" He asked cautiously.

Naruto glanced toward the unconscious Sakura before answering, "You said you couldn't believe I owned a dress."

Sasuke smiled, "Close enough." He said before running over and pulling Naruto into a tight hug.

"S-Sasuke?" She asked in surprise.

"Don't you ever do that again!" he said holding her tight enough to prevent her seeing his face.

Sensing the worry in his voice she just nodded, suddenly however Sasuke felt rather limp.

"Sasuke?" She asked pushing him away to look at his face, it was contorted in pain and he appeared to be barely conscious, "Sasuke!" She shouted as he passed out completely and fell to the floor.


	6. Sacrifice

AN: well although the story is heading toward the ending I originally planned it seems to be taking a route of its own to get there, oh well as long as it does I suppose. I already have the next chapter written and it will go up tomorrow as long as nothing comes up - I want to see how long I can keep up an update a day - so far I have only missed one. Oh and thanks to everyone - this story has been up just under a week and so far is the fastest of all my stories to gain popularity - I guess there is more demand for femnaru than other genres - please read and review.

* * *

Sakura groaned as she opened her eyes – she didn't know what happened but she was having difficulty breathing, slowly things trickled back to her… that man… that killing intent… Sasuke!

"Sasuke!" she yelled sitting up suddenly and instantly regretting it as it forced her into a painful coughing fit.

"Easy," Naruto soothed laying her back down, "I have no idea what happened but you appear to have taken a nasty blow to your solar plexus – I wouldn't be surprised if you cracked a rib but I lack the knowledge to check or fix it."

Sakura nodded weakly, "Water," She wheezed out, Naruto lifted her head and carefully helped her drink from the canteen, "Sasuke?" She asked.

Naruto sighed, "He was fine when I got to you but he passed out soon after – I can't tell why but there is some sort of mark on his neck." Naruto knew what it was, or at least she had an idea – it looked an awful lot like the one Anko-nee-san had, but she didn't want to think about that right now.

"How long have we been out?"

"You've been out around eighteen hours – we have three days left to get to the tower, however we may have to carry Sasuke as his condition seems to be getting worse if anything."

Sakura nodded as she began to feel better, she pulled herself into a sitting position leaning against the base of a tree. It appeared that Naruto had chosen to shelter them under the roots of a large tree next to a clearing, she could make out wire for traps that ran up next to Naruto's bag which was being used as Sasuke's pillow.

She looked at the face of her crush, he was pail and sweating profusely – from the damp towel Naruto had placed on his forehead she assumed he had a fever.

"He's been like that since he passed out." Naruto said sadly attending to him, Sakura watched as Naruto dabbed Sasuke's sweat away and tried to sooth him – it seemed almost… loving.

Sakura was shaken from her musings however when one of the wires that ran next to Naruto began to vibrate, looking up she saw a trio of Sound-nin had entered the clearing. From the looks on their faces Sakura didn't think they had come by to say hello – looking back to Naruto she saw that 'he' was poised for an attack though appeared not to have moved to a casual observer.

"Hello there!" came a shout from one of the Sound Shinobi, "Hand over the Uchiha and we will let you live!"

"Like hell!" Growled Naruto, "Touch him and I'll rip your balls off!"

The leader sniggered, "Like you could – what's a matter, he your boyfriend?"

Sakura was annoyed at the implication of Sasuke being gay but was surprised to see that Naruto was blushing slightly as 'he' prepared to pull one of the wires running next to Sasuke.

"Why'd you want him anyway – don't you want our scroll?" Naruto asked, her fingers slowly moving toward the wire.

The leader laughed, "Maybe, but for now our orders are to kill the Uchiha brat."

Naruto frowned, orders? "Like I said – touch him and you will suddenly find yourself less of a man than you where this morning."

"Brave words for a little brat…" he was cut off as at that moment Naruto had grabbed the trap wire, the clearing was filled with Kunai and shuriken flying at the sound-nin and she jumped up muttering an order to Sakura to protect Sasuke.

* * *

Neji looked up at the sky and frowned, "It will be dark soon." He observed.

Tenten nodded in agreement, "We should probably scout out a camping location."

"Yosh – my flames of youth will rapidly find the best location!"

The other two cringed wishing they had listened to that strange Jounin with the silver hair when he offered them a gag for their team-mate.

Neji sighed, "Ok let's split up – I'll head north, Lee you head south east, Tenten you head southwest – let's meet back here in one hour."

The other two nodded in agreement and jumped in their respective directions.

* * *

Sakura held Naruto up as she panted, blood was pouring from a cut in her head and turning her blonde hair a shade of coppery red. The sound-nin where angry, she had successfully taken down the leader and the irritating man with wholes in his hands but there team mate was still standing.

"Let's run." Sakura whispered into her ear.

"No, if we do she is still fresh and appears to be strong – she'll catch up to easily."

Sakura frowned, "But we can't continue to fight – I'm not strong enough, Sasuke's out cold and you're dead on your feet!"

Naruto pulled herself up and watched as the remaining sound Shinobi finished checking her team mates, Naruto swore when she realised what had happened.

"What?" asked Sakura.

"She woke up the leader – I only knocked him out."

Sakura looked up to see that the leader of the sound team was in fact pulling himself to his feet, "You're strong kid – I'll give you that." He said wiping a trickle of blood from his chin.

Naruto made a noise of dissatisfaction, "Sakura," she muttered under her breath, "change of plan, when I say so grab Sasuke and run – don't look back and do not stop until you reach the tower."

"What about you?" Sakura asked a concerned expression.

Naruto gave her a big grin, and for the first time Sakura realised just how fake Naruto's smiles where, "Don't worry about me – I've lived through worse!"

Sakura didn't like that answer – it was too ambiguous, Naruto hadn't said, 'I'll be fine' or 'I'll be right behind you'. Saying 'I've live through worse' meant that Naruto didn't know if 'he' would live through this time.

"Naruto I am not leaving you…"

"Yes you are." Naruto's voice had lost all sense of it's fake happiness and was now just stern – it was the tone a mother used to reprimand a child when she finally grew tired of it's complaints. "You will grab Sasuke and run – just as I told you, if you come across another Konoha team you will strike a bargain with them – they protect you if you give them the scroll they need."

Sakura gasped but Naruto continued regardless, "I don't care whether you like it or not – yours and Sasuke's safety is more important than winning this damned exam."

"What about your safety?"

"No one gives a damn about a monster like me – now get the hell out of here!"

Naruto pushed her away and made for the two sound Shinobi forming Kage bunshin as she went. Sakura ran and grabbed Sasuke tears running down her cheeks, without looking back she ran into the forest, the sound of clones exploding and the clang of metal on metal behind her.

* * *

Lee jumped from tree to tree when he caught a glimpse of pink below him, curious, he darted down to investigate. Reaching its source he let out a gasp, running with a boy in her arms and tears running down her cheeks was the most beautiful girl Lee had ever seen.

Lee ran into step beside her startling the girl, "Do you require assistance?" he asked her.

Sakura eyed him carefully, her eyes finally coming to rest on the Konoha forehead protector on his waste she let out a cry of relief, "Oh thank god – I need to barter an agreement for our protection!" she almost shouted at him, relief evident in every syllable.

"Why what has happened?" Lee asked.

"We where attacked by a very powerful Shinobi who did this to Sasuke-kun," she said indicating the boy in her arms, "then a group of sound-nin appeared declaring they cared little about the scroll as long as they got to kill him."

Lee frowned, "Then where is your other team mate?"

Sakura choked back a sob, "Buying us time to escape – last I saw he could barely stand."

Lee nodded, "A truly youthful action," Sakura looked at him oddly despite the situation, "Do not fear, I will protect you until the day I die!"

"Just the end of the exams will do thanks." Sakura said slightly perturbed by the look the boy was giving her.

"Quickly!" Lee shouted, "We must rendezvous with my team mates and then we can send someone back to try and recover yours!"

Sakura could almost hug him.

* * *

"No." Neji said simply.

"Please," begged Sakura, "I have both Scrolls – I will give you the one you need if you can get us safely to the tower and recover our team mate!"

"Neji – they seem desperate." Tenten looked at him pleadingly.

"What is to stop us simply taking her scrolls and leaving her? That would be a much better plan."

"Neji!" Tenten shouted, "They may be our rivals in this exam but they are still Konoha Shinobi and they need our help!"

"Indeed my eternal rival, what happened to 'we never leave a man behind'?"

"She already did!" Neji spat.

Sakura sobbed at this, "I was ordered to – I didn't want to leave him, but he insisted that I get Sasuke to safety."

Neji's glare did not falter, Tenten however made up her mind; "I do not care what you do Hyuuga Neji but I am going to go help this person!"

Neji sighed, "Alright – but I do this under protest!"

* * *

"NOW CHOUJI!" Shouted Shikamaru as a ball of flab rolled across the field flattening the final sound Shinobi forcing them to retreat.

Shikamaru sighed in relief as he watched them back away into the forest, "Man that was troublesome."

"Even so we could not leave that fight as it was." Ino said making her way over to the crumpled and bloody body of Uzumaki Naruto.

Chouji nodded and even Shikamaru made a consenting grunt, "How's he look?"

"Not good," Ino answered, "I would say that he is on deaths door – I don't think I have the equipment to help him, this is beyond standard first aid; he needs a medic and fast."

Shikamaru picked up the scroll left by the sound as they retreated, "Well we have what we need – we can always carry him back with us."

Chouji nodded, "I can do that fairly easily."

"That sounds like a plan – just let me bandage him first."

Shikamaru and Chouji sat down facing outward so that they could watch for attacks as Ino bandaged the most heavily bleeding of Naruto's wounds. Ino however paused as she reached Naruto's left leg, "Shikamaru?"

"Hm?"

"Can you take a look at this a moment?"

Shikamaru gave an exaggerated sigh and turned to look at where Ino was pointing.

"What the hell?" Shikamaru asked as he watched the wound close, steam lightly rising and orange chakra barely visible around the edges.

Chouji joined them and looked as well, "That's not normal." He said shoving a handful of crisps into his mouth drawing a pair of 'no shit' glares from his team mates.

"What do you reckon," Ino asked, "some sort of bloodline?"

Shikamaru exhaled deeply and thought a moment, "No, even with a bloodline chakra is never that colour – must be something else."

"What then?"

"It's something we do not have the time to worry about in the middle of this exam," Shikamaru answered, for once taking charge, "Just finish bandaging his worst wounds and let's get the hell out of here."


	7. Welcome to the Family

AN: Hmm... I don't really like this chapter - it's a bit choppy and doesn't flow well, though I do like the last scene even if it could stand a rewrite. I seem to be keeping a day ahead with my writing at the moment as I already have the next chapter written, this story has so far been a joy to write taking on a life of its own seemingly beyond my control. The characters and their interactions seem to just happen without my input. I recieved a comment about Sakura bashing in earlier chapters for which I am sorry - I did not intend to bash her I was simply trying to portray her as she was early in canon, in canon she acted excitable and imature right up until Sasuke left giving her a wake up call - in this story the wake up call is different but it is still there, or will be soon anyway. Anyway - please review, I love reviews almost as much as I love clicking the 'stats' page before putting up a new chapter and seeing just how many hits this story has been getting.

* * *

Neji landed in the centre of the clearing and surveyed the damage; there was a fair amount of blood spattered around as well as large trenches dug through the forest floor.

Tenten landed next to him and let out a low whistle, "Your friend put up one hell of a fight." She said looking over at Sakura, she nodded looking around as Lee joined them with an unconscious Sasuke on his back.

"It would appear," Neji began, "that your friend is no longer here – I believe that means we have held up to our end…" Tenten silenced him with a glare.

"Just look for him already." She said still glaring at him.

Neji did not look best pleased but activated his bloodline none the less, after looking around for a moment his eyes snapped to a specific position. He blinked rapidly, deactivated his byukagun and reactivated but it was still there, "What in hells name?"

"What is it Neji?" Tenten asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know," Tenten nearly feinted hearing those words from the know it all Hyuuga, "I can see another Konoha team, with them they are carrying another person who appears to be wounded but… it's almost as if they are made of chakra."

"Made of Chakra?" Sakura asked.

"I can see nothing of them but a bright blue outline – may I ask your team mate's build?"

Sakura frowned in thought, "About two inches shorter than me, thin but with a small amount of muscle – looks a little under nourished."

Neji nodded, "I believe that to be him, let us go and see."

Eyebrows raised all round and Sakura turned to Tenten as Neji began to hop away, "He sure changed his tune."

Tenten nodded, "he always does when something grabs his attention and your team mate must be special to grab _Neji's_ attention."

Sakura nodded losing herself deep in thoughts of Naruto – what did she actually know about him considering they had been on the same team for three months?

* * *

Team ten where about an hour's journey from the tower when Shikamaru called for them to stop, "Why?" Ino asked loudly, although she knew Shikamaru must have a reason she was still frustrated – she was dirty, aching and tired, she just wanted out of this forest.

"Because we are tired and need to be fresh when we approach the tower, it seems likely to me that several teams will lie in wait and ambush teams that already have both scrolls."

Ino sighed and collapsed against a tree while Chouji laid Naruto down gently on the ground, "How's he holding up?"

Chouji sighed, "Very well."

Ino raised an eyebrow, "You don't seem too happy about it."

Chouji looked over at her, "That's because I am puzzled."

"By what? Shikamaru asked staring up at the canopy, hoping to see a cloud.

"All of his most serious wounds have healed… and he is extremely light."

Shikamaru looked at his team mate – if Chouji thought this worth mentioning it caught his interest, "I'd say he weighs about two stone less than he should."

Shikamaru walked over and inspected the unconscious Naruto, after a few moments he gave a satisfied sigh, "Ah… I get it."

"Get what?" Ino asked.

"Something I am afraid I cannot tell you."

"And why the hell would that be?" Ino shrieked at him.

"Because it is evidently a secret – and as such not my secret to tell." Shikamaru continued to inspect Naruto for a moment – it was clearly a well-designed Genjutsu but he couldn't tell what it was hiding, just that it was hiding something.

Chouji looked up and put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, "Someone's approaching."

* * *

Neji swore lightly under his breath immediately drawing everyone's attention, "What is it?" Tenten asked.

"They're under attack by a group of rain-nin."

"How far are they?"

"Less than five minutes."

* * *

Shikamaru swore as his shadow bind just caught another clone, this was costing him too much chakra and was getting them nowhere.

Chouji balled through the group destroying large numbers of clones just to have them reform and multiply, Ino was still unconscious – she had attempted to use her mind body transfer technique on a clone and now her consciousness had to try and make it back to her body.

Shikamaru watched as a Kunai hit him in the arm passing right through leaving no wound, a second later a real one hit him in his right thigh. This was impossible, without some form of doujutsu he could not work out which ones where real and which where illusions.

His vision was turning fuzzy, he had expended too much chakra – just before he passed out he saw a blurry shape jump across in front of him and then heard someone shout "Kaiten!"

Shikamaru smiled, a Hyuuga – they where saved.

* * *

As soon as Neji landed he set to work clearing away the remaining clones and tracking the originals – if these people where genjutsu specialists then they had more than met their match.

As he was busy fighting Lee laid Sasuke down next to Naruto and turned to join him, he stopped, however, when he realised Sasuke was beginning to stir. Obsidian eyes flickered open and his head rolled to the side, the first thing he saw was Naruto; broken, bloody and unconscious – black marks tracked across his skin.

Everyone stood still and turned to see the source of the repugnant chakra that had started to spread from the boy, as he stood a purple aura became more noticeable until it was causing the air to whip around them and their clothes to ripple.

"Who?" He asked simply, his voice a mixture of anger and hate – it wasn't even his own voice but rather gritty and feral, "Who did this to her?" Everyone was too scared to pick up on his mistake but it was recorded in Sakura's subconscious for later analysis.

All eyes where on Sasuke as his gaze travelled from person to person before resting on one of the rain-nin, a growl forced it's way from between his lips and he disappeared in a burst of speed, his foot appearing in the rain-nin's face causing his nose to shatter and the fragments to fly up into the frontal lobes of his brain – death was instantaneous.

The Konoha Shinobi watched in disbelief as Sasuke put a kunai through the next ones eye and finished the last by unleashing a fierce blow to the back of the head cracking their skull. Panting Sasuke looked at Naruto – his eyes suddenly softened as he rushed to her side, the marks receding as quickly as they had come taking the vile chakra with them.

Bending over her he gently shook her shoulders, "Wake up," he pleaded, "Wake up Naruto!" he shouted his eyes starting to water, "Damn it Naruto you promised, You agreed you wouldn't scare me like this again!" Lee put a hand on his shoulder but it was quickly shrugged off, "WAKE UP!" he screamed, his eyes rolled up and he passed out again, looking behind him Neji could be seen with his palm extended.

"I apologise but he would have attracted too much attention – though I am at a loss as to why he was so emotional."

Shikamaru sat up with Chouji's help as his friend fed him a soldier pill, "Perhaps we will find out in time – but it is not our place for the time being."

"Not our place?" Ino shouted, "He could have brought the entire forest here shouting that loud!"

"The same could be said of you," Neji said drawing a glare, "We should get moving – as the rain-nin had the scroll we require I believe you have lived up to your side of the bargain Haruno-san – we will escort your team to the tower."

Sakura nodded thankfully.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes fluttered open again, this time he was greeted by the sight of green, lots of green and he appeared to be riding it, as he became more aware he realised someone was carrying him.

"Put me down." He said groggily.

"Only of you agree not to freak out on us again."

Sasuke nodded wearily though as his memories trickled back he was finding it harder to keep to his word, as soon as his feet reached terra firma he spun around madly, "Where's Naruto?"

"Here," Chouji called, "He's ok – I think he'll regain consciousness soon."

Sasuke jumped over and inspected her – she indeed did appear to be recovering quickly. Sasuke, for the first time since he knew about it, was truly thankful for the demon sealed inside Naruto's stomach.

"I guess I owe you one Kyuu…" he muttered under his breath.

"We're here!" Came a call from the front, the three teams landed together and entered the entrance hall, as they threw their six scrolls forward a surprised looking Iruka holding a sandwich appeared in front of them.

"I knew it!" He shouted looking annoyed, "I put it off all day and I knew the second I started eating someone would finish."

He sighed and looked at the group of surprised looking Genin, "Heheh – sorry about that, I am glad to say that you have all made it through to the – what the hell happened to Naruto?" He shouted out the last part.

Rushing over he looked at the young 'boy', "Ah crap – Anko's going to kill me."

* * *

Naruto blinked as she regained consciousness, the room was fuzzy and her vision was obscured by something big and black. Closer inspection revealed it to be big black and hairy – she soon came to realise that it was a head, "Sasuke?" she asked lightly.

The head snapped up and looked her in the eyes, "Thank god – you're awake!"

"Not so loud!" She complained sitting herself up and getting her bearings, she looked down – her genjutsu was still in place, "Where are we?"

"The tower, you held off the sound-nin long enough for Sakura to escape and you where then rescued by team ten."

"That's good." She let out a yelp of pain as Sasuke hit her on the head.

"How is it good? You where nearly killed!" She realised for the first time that there where tears running down the stoic Uchiha's face.

"Sasuke…I…"

"You what?" He shouted, "I heard what you said from Sakura! 'I've lived through worse'… _'I've lived through worse_'?" He repeated the statement with such pain in his voice that it nearly brought her to tears, "What have you lived through Naruto? Tell me please because I don't think I can bare the idea of you thinking like that. I don't want to lose you just because you think you're invincible!"

"Sasuke… I know I'm not…"

'THEN WHY DID YOU DO IT?" He screamed at her, "Because you're a _monster_? Sakura told me you said that as well! You are not a monster!"

"But the villagers…"

"You are not a…"

"YES I AM!" She screamed at him causing him to back down, "I _am_ a monster, I am a foul, detestable piece of lying scum," She brought her knees up to her chest, "I am not worthy of you or this village, even when they don't know who I am they hate me – that 'Slutty little redhead' that has been seen with the Uchiha prince. It doesn't matter Sasuke – you see it, I see it – I am a monster!" She paused, "and you would be better off without me."

She stood to leave the room when Sasuke grabbed her wrist, "Don't you ever," he said, his voice filled with barely controlled rage, "Don't you ever say that about yourself again." His voice wasn't raised, it wasn't it wasn't emotional – it was a deadly calm that spoke volumes of his anger, "I don't care what is sealed in you, or what the villagers may have done to you in the past – but you are the furthest thing from a monster – and don't you ever say I would be better off without you."

"You would." Naruto said yanking her wrist free, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sasuke grabbed it again and turned Naruto to look at him, "Look into my eyes – do I look like I want you to go? Do I look like I would be happy without you?"

Naruto turned her gaze away, "Look at me." Sasuke said but Naruto continued to look at the floor, sticking his hand under her chin Sasuke pulled her eyed up to look into his, "Look at me… what brought this on? Why suddenly now have you decided you aren't good enough for me? You where happy to be together before we entered the forest – even after – so why now?"

Naruto mumbled something to the ground, "What was that?" Naruto mumbled again, "Naruto…"

She looked up at him, "I failed you." She said barely audibly.

Sasuke looked at her in shock, "How did you fail me?"

"In the exam… I couldn't protect you; first I got blown away and by the time I got back you where already hurt – then when you where unconscious I had to send Sakura to take you to help! And now you hate me because of it."

Sasuke would have laughed if it wasn't for the pained expression on her face, raising his hand he wiped away her tears, "I don't hate you, I could never hate you – and hey - you didn't fail me… you fought to the best of your abilities – that's what I like about you; you don't give up. Even when you are outmatched you always pull something out your sleeve, I may not like what you did but you did get us all back didn't you?"

Naruto nodded, "Now," Sasuke said trying to change the tone of the conversation, "Are you going to 'fail me' now by giving up on me?"

Naruto smiled, "No way in hell."

"That's more like it!" Sasuke smiled and leaned in, their lips met in an awkward but happy kiss.

A camera flash went off.

Separating quickly the young couple turned to see a grinning Anko stood in the doorway, "As your older sister it _is_ my responsibility to annoy the hell out of you," she smiled, "I guess I can put this round the village – 'Naruto and Sasuke – Gay Lovers!' underneath it in big letters! You really should have dropped your genjutsu."

Naruto fumed, "Anko-chan! Don't you dare."

Sasuke bopped Naruto on the head, "That's nee-san."

Naruto glared at her boyfriend, "Not you too!"

Sasuke smiled, "I just don't want to get in her bad books when she has a photo of me kissing you as a boy!"

Anko grinned, "I like you kid – welcome to the family."


	8. Revelations

AN: I expect that some of you where waiting for this, I have not written tomorrows chapter yet (SHOCK!) as I have been too busy reading 'the genius losers of konoha' by Stigma - I like but it's definately a bit wierd. I should still have chapter up tomorrow but I may put it up a bit later than usual, then again most people don't seem to read the new chapters immediately anyway so it shouldn't effect you and now I just rambling... never mind - please review - I like them.

* * *

"What do you want?" Shikamaru asked the pink haired girl that had just knocked on his dormitory door in the middle of the night.

"Are you as smart as Ino says you are?" She asked biting her lip.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "Depends on how smart she says I am."

"She says you answered all the first exam questions without cheating."

Shikamaru nodded, "Then yes I am… why exactly?"

"I need your help figuring some things out – well to be more exact I need you to confirm something for me."

Shikamaru sighed and opened the door all the way motioning for her to sit down, she walked over and sat on a cushion near a small desk while Shikamaru sat on the futon. "I am guessing this is to do with Naruto?"

"How did you…?" Shikamaru sent her a look, "Oh yeah, genius – sorry."

"So what do you want to confirm?"

"If I tell you my observations can you tell me your opinion?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Ok, well firstly after Sasuke went on his date with the 'mystery girl' he was talking to Naruto about the film the saw the next day – they claimed to have seen it together earlier the same day as the date, checking it out before Sasuke took a girl."

"Ok – next observation."

"When we entered the forest of death Naruto called Sasuke-kun 'Sasuke-kun' but covered for it saying he spent too much time around me."

Shikamaru nodded urging her to continue.

"When we where attacked by the strange man Sasuke checked whether or not he was really Naruto by asking, 'what did I say about your clothes when we met to go to the cinema?' – the man answered that he should lose the orange jumpsuit but that was apparently wrong."

Shikamaru was very rapidly approaching a conclusion now but urged Sakura to give him all her observations.

"When Sasuke passed out Naruto took care of him and was very… tender… he almost seemed loving in the way he looked after him."

Shikamaru nodded.

"When the sound-nin joked 'what's the matter – he your boyfriend?' Naruto blushed."

Again Shikamaru nodded for her to continue.

Now Sakura looked hard their was a lot of evidence, "It's not really related but Naruto referred to himself as a 'monster'… when I told Sasuke that he called himself that he seemed to get really angry."

Shikamaru stopped her for a moment, "When I Naruto's birthday?"

"I'm not really sure," Sakura asked slightly embarrassed, "Start of October I think."

Shikamaru thought for a moment, "Continue."

"When you where unconscious in the fight with the rain-nin, Sasuke woke up and saw Naruto, he then shouted; 'who did this to _her?_'"

Shikamaru nodded again, "Anything else?"

"I think that's everything." Sakura thought for a moment, "Oh! When Neji saw him with his bloodline he said it looked like he was 'made of chakra'."

Shikamaru was silent for few moments, after which his previously closed eyes opened lazily, "Well adding this to my own observations I can reach two conclusions."

"Two?"

"Firstly, as I am sure you have also realised and wanted me to confirm – Naruto is a girl and almost certainly the mystery redhead Sasuke has been seen with."

Sakura sank into herself, she hadn't wanted to admit it but repeating all the evidence to an outside person like this showed her just how insurmountable the evidence was, "What about the second conclusion."

"I believe Naruto may be what is known as a Jinchuuriki."

"A what?"

"It means a demon host, I believe that at birth the Yondaime Hokage sealed the Kyuubi into her – that would make sense – I have always wandered about how he would kill an immortal… but to seal it – that would be much simpler."

Sakura looked at Shikamaru sadly, "That would explain some things… and how she was treated."

"And why she pretends to be a boy."

Sakura looked at him oddly, "How does it explain that?"

Shikamaru looked at her sombrely, "Imagine, if you will, that you are hated by the entire village, Imagine you are a young, attractive girl that is hated… I assume I need go no further?"

Sakura shook her head and a silent tear rolled down her cheek, "Thank you… Shikamaru… you have given me a lot to think about."

Shikamaru nodded, "Oh and Sakura – I trust you are aware of the necessity of this staying secret – for exactly the reasons I just gave you."

She nodded, "Don't worry, I won't tell."

* * *

Sasuke sat still as Anko inspected the cursed seal on his shoulder, "Well to be blunt kid – you are both one of the lucky ones and the unlucky ones at the same time."

"Huh?" Sasuke questioned.

"Like me," She pulled down her jacket collar revealing her own cursed seal, "You received a cursed seal from Orochimaru; you are lucky because you are one of the ten percent that survive the process… you are unlucky because you are one of the ten percent that survive the process."

"Huh?" He repeated.

Anko sighed, "Although you _are_ lucky to be alive the cursed seal is exactly what it sounds like – a curse. I have suppressed mine over many years but I still hear it calling to me from time to time."

"Calling to you?" Sasuke questioned.

Anko nodded, "Listen and you will hear it, it is there in the back of your mind questioning your actions, making you seek power."

Sasuke looked at her questioningly, "From the reports you used it in the forest – how did it make you feel?"

Sasuke thought, "Strong – like I could protect those I care about."

Anko's eyes widened, she leant down so that her face was mere centimetres from his, "Sasuke look at me, this is vital you hear me? Vital." Sasuke nodded, "I want you to remember that feeling – remember that you need to protect those precious to you, it can't feed off of that feeling, it's something Orochimaru doesn't understand. Keep in your mind always that the reason you need power is to protect those you care about – not to kill your brother."

Sasuke's eyes darkened and he felt the seal twinge, "Itachi…" he muttered under his breath.

Anko instantly knew she had said the wrong thing, "Hey! Sasuke – remember what I said, Itachi isn't as important as taking care of your precious people – think of Sayuri!"

Sasuke blinked looking at Anko like she had grown a second head, "whose Sayuri?"

Anko grinned, "She never told you her original name? Sayuri is Naruto!"

Sasuke smiled, "It's pretty."

Anko smacked him on the head, "Don't go all mushy on me here," She turned to leave the room, "I'll have your sensei seal that… seal," she frowned at the repetition, "I'll even look into the rumours of a seal master in town for you."

Sasuke nodded, Anko stopped in the doorway, "Oh and one more thing," Sasuke tilted his head to one side in a questioning manner, "Touch my sister inappropriately and I will introduce you to a world of pain that Ibiki hasn't seen the like of."

Sasuke turned white as a sheet and nodded watching the woman leave laughing maniacally.

* * *

Sakura sat on a balcony looking out over the forest they had just crossed through, she hadn't slept at all since talking to Shikamaru, she'd been up all night trying to work out her own feelings. She honestly couldn't stay angry at Naruto despite all she's done; hiding from them, stealing Sasuke, keeping Kyuubi secret – despite all this she could see why she had done it.

Sakura sighed, if she was honest she would have done the same, the idea of having to hide from everyone wasn't pleasant but it was necessary. She thought back to Naruto's words in the forest; '_I've lived through worse_' and _'No one gives a damn about a monster like me'_ – did she honestly believe that? Did she honestly think that no one cared what happened to her? And what had she lived though that was worse?

Sakura gave an involuntary shudder trying not to imagine, looking back she could remember bits and pieces of Naruto being treated badly… a harsh word from a parent here, an unnecessary detention in the academy there. How could she stay angry with someone who had suffered for something that wasn't even her fault? Sakura stood up making a decision, she was going to talk to Naruto and Sasuke about this and tell them she didn't mind – she just wished they trusted her enough to tell her.

She turned round and almost immediately bumped into a small blonde boy with blue eyes, "Whoa – watch out there Sakura-chan!"

Sakura looked at Naruto sadly and bit back the emotions that threatened to spill out to the surface, "You couldn't come with me to see Sasuke for a bit could you?"

Naruto nodded sensing some hidden feeling behind the words, she also noted that the 'kun' had been conspicuously absent from Sasuke's name, "Sure thing – I think he's in the medical room with Nee-san."

Sakura nodded and began walking toward the medical room with Naruto in tow, "Sakura-chan? Is everything ok?" She asked as they made their way down the corridor.

Sakura smiled at her, though her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness, "It will be soon – I just need to talk to you both about some things."

Naruto nodded as they stopped at the appropriate door and knocked, after a few moments Sasuke's voice called, "Come in!" and they walked into the room.

Sasuke was stood staring out of the window with his hand on his shoulder where the cursed seal was located, he let go of it as he turned round a slightly vacant look in his eye, "Naruto, Sakura," he said nodding to each, "What do you want?"

"Sakura-chan says she wants to talk to us about something." Naruto said waling over and sitting on the visitors chair, although Sasuke was not a full time patient the only medical rooms at the tower where all designed for those that where heavily wounded – Naruto found it slightly disconcerting considering the nature of the exam.

Sasuke nodded sitting on the edge of the bed and the two of them looked at Sakura expectantly as she closed the door quietly, "Firstly," She said turning to face them, "You two suck at keeping secrets!"

They looked at her blankly, "Huh?" Naruto finally said.

Sakura smiled, "There where a lot of clues ever since the date – I was able to work out that Naruto is a girl and most likely you two are dating."

Sasuke looked at her shocked and Naruto blushed slightly, "Sakura-chan – I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Naruto," Sakura said sadly, "I know – it's too late for that now, can you please show me what you really look like?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke who nodded; with a little apprehension Naruto released the genjutsu. Sakura gasped – she had only previously seen Naruto from a distance in this form but up close she was stunned; Sakura would kill for her perfect figure, her full pink lips or even her wonderful hair that seemed like fire cascading down her back. Her green eyes where more piercing than 'Naruto's' blues and seemed to hold an unknown depth to them – in fact she looked just like…

"Naruto," Sakura said curiously, "Who where your parents?"

Naruto looked down sadly, "I don't know."

Sakura pulled out a small book from her pocket titled 'The World's Greatest Kunoichi'; flipping through the pages she stopped and handed it to Sasuke.

Frowning Sasuke looked at the page but as soon as his eyes reached the correct place shock filled his features, he looked at Naruto, at the book and back at Naruto again.

"Naruto," He said quietly, "You could be her twin."

"Whose?" Naruto asked in confusion, Sasuke handed her the book and she looked down seeing a picture that looked exactly like her – older, yes, and without the whisker marks but otherwise you could be forgiven for thinking they where the same person.

Leaning over her shoulder Sasuke began to read out loud, "Uzumaki Kushina aka. 'The Red Death', former Jounin of Whirlpool Country, famed for her skill with a blade she rapidly earned herself the title 'Red Death' and was famous for her 'Flee On Sight' order in the bingo books of all major Shinobi nations. Last seen in the vicinity of Fire Country ten years ago." He stopped, "Sakura – when was this book published?"

Sakura was in tears, "nearly three years ago."

Naruto was numb – it wasn't definite but it might as well be – the resemblance was too strong to be coincidence, and she had the same surname, at the very least she was related to this woman.

Naruto broke down, family, she had real blood relations – even if they had died it meant she had come from _somewhere_. She hadn't just sprung into being with the fox that was sealed into her – it meant that she _was_ human!

Sasuke pulled her close as she sobbed into his shoulder, Sakura looked on and caught Sasuke's eyes, "Thank you." He mouthed to her.

Sakura smiled and left the couple alone – she could always buy another book and talking about the Kyuubi could wait.


	9. Blood and Mist

AN: Wow I really use hyphons in the most random of places... oh well. I have to warn you now that I suck at writing fights - they're here because the story demanded it. On the bright side these are the only preliminary fights that will appear in the story, and I am back on my one chapter ahead system. Oh just so you know next chapter the shit hits the fan and niether Gaara nor Orochimaru are involved - just a heads up.

* * *

Naruto was feeling the happiest she had been in a long time as she stood with the rest of her team before the Hokage as he explained the nature of the exam they where in. He was currently explaining something about a replacement for war to all those that had passed the second exam but she didn't care. After she had calmed down she had continued her conversation with Sakura and was ecstatic to discover that Sakura didn't mind about the Kyuubi – and she wasn't even angry with her for 'stealing' Sasuke!

She was happiest though to discover something about her family; as soon as the exam finished she was going to take the book, which Sakura kindly offered to let her keep, to the Hokage and ask for details on how she was related to this woman. Subconsciously her hands made their way to her hip pouch where the book was now situated, she had spent hours over the last couple of days just staring at that picture – absorbing details of a woman who could be her aunt, cousin or even her mother for all she knew.

She was still staring blankly off into space with a stupid smile on her face when the other candidates began to walk up to the observation platforms – only a sharp jab in the ribs from Sasuke brought her back to reality. Sasuke didn't even bother asking what she was thinking about – she had been doing this every few minutes since the discovery of the picture and he had a feeling she would keep doing it until she went and saw the Hokage about it.

"What's going on?" She whispered to Sasuke as they headed up the staircase to the observation platform.

"Preliminary matches – the two people whose names appear on the screen fight – the winner gets to go on to the finals."

Naruto nodded and took her place on the balcony watching the match ups appear.

* * *

"A loser will always be a loser," Neji gloated as Hinata struggled to bring herself upright, "it doesn't matter how hard you try – you where born with the destiny to lose to me, just as I was born with the destiny to be oppressed due to nothing more than being born."

Hinata extended her palm and got into a ready stance, "I am truly sorry Neji, I never wanted you to be treated this way – I never wanted preferential treatment, I was given it because of birth and that is a fact I cannot stand." She swayed dangerously, "I hate the way our family is run, some of us pushed into areas we are weak because of tradition, others having their natural skills denied – I hate it!"

Neji smirked, "A poor psychological tactic – trying to earn sympathy? No wander you are always beaten by your sister."

Naruto's hands gripped the rail tightly – this guy was really pissing her off.

Hinata shook her head, "If your eyes are as good as you say then look at me Neji, look into my eyes and search for deceit, I would rather have been born in another family – I curse these eyes of mine, not good enough for the family yet the rest of the village treats me as royalty."

Neji shook his head, "You are adept at it but you must be lying, you are just a spoiled princess – no one knows of the suffering I have had to endure."

The handrail splintered and gave way under Naruto's grip, "Hey Bastard!" She shouted, "No one knows your pain? You don't even know what real pain is – stop acting like some foolish drama queen and take responsibility for your own problems! Just because it's not your fault doesn't mean you can't change it!"

Neji smirked, "You clearly have no idea of true suffering with your comfortable free life, you are a slave to no one – a truly lucky person who knows nothing of suffering."

Naruto silently fumed as Sakura and Sasuke held onto the back of her jacket, to the surprise of everyone present there was a sudden thud and a flash of chakra. Neji slowly looked down into Hinata's eyes, her palm extended flat against his chest, "You call me weak but at least I am not so easily distracted."

Neji fell down to the ground coughing violently, "I didn't lie, I hate the way our family is run and when I am in charge I will make sure no one bares that seal again. You say Naruto knows nothing of suffering? I have been watching him for a long time, he was always alone, always trying and always kicked back to the ground again. You know the difference between you and him Neji_-nii-san_? Even if they knocked him down he stood back up again – you didn't even wait to get knocked you just lied down anyway."

"Winner – Hyuuga Hinata!"

'_Did you see Naruto-kun?'_ Hinata thought smiling as she walked back to her team, _'I became brave just for you.'_

* * *

Sasuke stared into the eyes of his opponent – or at least into his dark glasses anyway, he was sick of being taunted but no matter what he did this guy had him. He tried to mould chakra but was instantly greeted by a pain in his shoulder where his curse seal was located – Kakashi had not shown up in time to seal it before his match, where had the bastard been for the last two days?

He jumped back awkwardly as his opponent made another grab for him, he was getting nowhere fast… he needed some sort of attack that required no chakra but Tai-Jutsu was not his strongest point. Granted he was good but he wasn't good enough to take this guy down without giving him a chance to grab hold of him with those annoying chakra-sucking hands of his.

Sasuke thought through various plans most of which revolved around trying to get behind this guy but he doubted he was fast enough. Sasuke's sharingan activated on instinct as another swipe came for him – he knew he couldn't keep this up but at least the curse seal didn't seem to affect his bloodline.

Sasuke's eyes noticed that his opponents moves where becoming easier to read, in fact he could almost see them ahead of time… scratch that, he _could_ see them ahead of time. A shout came from the observation deck causing him to look up at his girlfriend, "Yo, Teme!" she shouted, "congratulations on the third tomoe!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and he smirked – now he could do this, now he would have that edge in a tai-jutsu match that he so needed. It would be easy to avoid his opponents' swipes now that he could see them ahead of time, jumping in the Uchiha decided to finish this quickly – two swift strikes to sensitive areas and it was all over.

Sasuke smirked up at Naruto, "Dobe!" he shouted, "Let's see you beat that."

"Pfft! With my eyes closed teme!"

Sasuke smirked as the match was called, "Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!"

* * *

Naruto stood opposite Kiba unmoving; she didn't what to think of the dog user – after all, he hadn't been much at the academy but then again neither had she. She analysed his appearance, their where no outward changes but that didn't mean a thing about his abilities – but she was sure she could take him.

Almost as soon as the match started Kiba started on some weak psychological tactics, "Hey Uzumaki! You smell like a girl."

Everyone in the audience sweat dropped, could that even be called a psychological tactic? It was more like a schoolyard insult.

"No mutt, it's called soap – use it from time to time." Several spectators sniggered causing Kiba to seethe.

"No Uzumaki, I mean your scent is that of a female not a male."

"Is that so?" Naruto asked innocently, "Maybe I should change my shampoo, what you think Teme?" he shouted behind him.

The Uchiha smirked, "I think it's funny you're telling someone else about personal hygiene."

Naruto smiled broadly rotating her head to talk to Sasuke but keeping her eyes on her opponent, "Yeah but have you smelt Kiba?"

"We all have, I can smell him from here." Sasuke shouted back resisting the urge to grin. Naruto was using an effective psychological tactic now, by bringing in a third party as an 'impartial' judge to reaffirm his accusations she ensured Kiba's anger.

Kuba growled and through a smoke bomb, "I'll get you! Gatsuuga!"

Twin spirals flew though the smoke knocking Naruto out the other side, Naruto though for a moment – Kiba had mentioned how she smelled and tracked her without being able to see… fighting by scent? That was easy to combat.

Kakashi frowned as he watched his student cut into her arm with her own Kunai, _'What is she up too?'_ he wandered.

Not aiming for Kiba Naruto ran around the room trailing blood behind her covering the entire area in specks of the red liquid – Kyuubi quickly healed the wound but not before she was done.

Kiba was looking around in frustration, he could no longer work out where she was by scent alone – Naruto had seen through his technique.

Naruto thought for a moment trying to think of a way to combat the dog-nin, she had gained the upper hand on Kiba's primary technique but as long as she was visible she would still be easy for him to pick out with that 'Gatsuuga' thing of his and it was powerful she would give him that.

She needed to stay out of sight but the 'stage' was just an empty room… she thought for a moment before remembering a discussion with Kakashi-sensei near the end of the land of waves mission.

"_Hey Kakashi-sensei! Teach me that technique – please!"_

"_I don't see why not, but what do you want it for? It's not that useful in most circumstances."_

"_But it's cool!" She begged._

"_Alright," He sighed kneeling next to her, "The seals are…"_

Naruto smirked, she wanted to learn it for pranks but it would be useful here – she ran through a set of hand seals and declared her technique, "Hidden mist technique."

Kakashi smirked under his mask, _'Smart – first disguise your scent and then hide from his other senses – I never thought you would use that technique properly.'_

Kiba spun round as the mist got thicker, those in the observation area could just make out the outlines of the two combatants from above but to each other they where invisible.

Naruto smirked as an idea popped into her head, _'why not go the whole hog?'_ she thought, "Kidneys," She began causing Sasuke to smirk and Kakashi's visible eye to squeeze shut in a smile, "Lungs, heart, liver, larynx, jugular vein, subclavian artery – seven targets."

Sakura was shocked but impressed – she didn't know that Naruto had learned this technique and even from the outside it was intimidating, especially watching Naruto's outline calmly circle the frantic Kiba.

Kurenai was frowning, this was a very heavy psychological attack now, Kiba was by no means a coward but he must be scared.

"Which one shall I go for?" Naruto asked seemingly from multiple angles. Sasuke tried not to laugh as he saw what she had done; Naruto had formed multiple clones and had them all speak at once to add to the disorientation Kiba must be feeling.

Kiba was, to be blunt, shitting himself, he could not work out where the hell Naruto was and 'he' appeared to be all around him. Moreover what she was saying scared him – 'his' voice was cold, calculated – almost as if 'he' was genuinely pondering which point to attack.

Naruto however was stuck, she had achieved being hidden and even gotten to play a little game but now what? She didn't have a plan to attack him and she couldn't follow through on her threats or she would actually kill him – she decided to try and make him quit.

She performed a regular bunshin, though with great difficulty, and had it transform into Zabuza – the clone charged at Kiba making to cut off his head with it's massive sword. Just before it met though the clone dispersed – or to be more exact Naruto had it flicker out of existence – she didn't want Kiba to know it was just a bunshin.

Needless to say Kiba was now terrified – that last 'attack' had caused him to fall to the floor trying to avoid the blade.

Naruto signalled to her Kage Bunshin and had them have muted discussions in varying voices, the whispers through the mist where creepy to say the least.

"Ho? What's this?" Naruto asked in the same cold calculated voice she had used before though with a hint of mock humour, "Looks like the spirits that have died in this mist never left it."

Kiba spun around trying to locate the voice, "That's not funny Uzumaki, you shouldn't joke about spirits."

"Who says I'm joking?" She smirked knowing from the academy Kiba was afraid of ghosts, "I inherited this technique of an enemy on a recent mission – one Mamuchi Zabuza, tall man with a large sword."

Kiba's eyes widened as Naruto continued her description, "Used to wear bandages around his face and no top, his sword was longer than he was." Fake nostalgia filled her voice.

Kiba matched the description to the mystery figure that had attacked him, "Shut up Naruto!"

Naruto was having too much fun to stop now, "He once told me that everyone he killed in this mist came back every time he summoned it, he could hear them whispering and sometimes see them," She invented this to scare him further, "I wander if he's stuck in it now too – after all he died in this mist."

"I QUIT!" Kiba shouted suddenly, smirking, Naruto disipated all her clones and cancelled the mist technique – as it cleared she made sure she was stood right in front of Kiba to make him think she had been that close all along.

"Scared?" She asked innocently, "And I didn't even get to attack – how dissapoining."

Kiba glared at her, "That was not funny."

"No," Naruto said simply, "It was a fight."

Kiba stayed silent for a moment before nodding and holding out his hand, Naruto took it smiling.

In the stands Kakashi was smiling broadly as Sakura turned to him, "Did you teach him that sensei?" she asked.

"Only the mist part," he replied, "Naruto begged me to teach him that, the rest he invented as he went along – seems to have a knack for it, probably saw this as one big prank."

"Kakashi!" Came a call from his left, turning he saw Kurenai, "What the hell did you teach that kid? That was too far by anyone's standards!"

"Like I was just saying to my student I only taught him how to make the mist – the rest was his own doing, surely a genjutsu user such as yourself can give Naruto respect for managing to finish a fight without physically injuring anyone."

Kurenai frowned, "As much as I have to admit I admire your students tactics that was not a technique that should be used in a friendly fight! Kiba might need therapy after that!"

Kakashi looked at her evenly, "My students first saw that technique being executed by Zabuza himself and they are fine – Kiba will live and has learned a valuble lesson about relying too heavily on a single technique."

Kurenai thought for a moment before nodding, "I suppose you are right, though I am still not too happy – please explain to your student the necessity of holding back sometimes."

Kakashi nodded, "Was already planning too."

As Naruto walked up next to her teammates she saw them looking at her oddly, "What?" she asked.

"Dobe," Sasuke said, "That was awesome."


	10. Broken

AN: Things move a bit fast for the next couple of chapters - just a warning. Some of you may be able to spot where I am going with this at the end of the chapter - I just ask you don't spoil it by putting it in your reviews, I've read a fair few stories that have had plot twists ruined by people putting 'Oh I see ... is going to happen' in their reviews, whether it happens or not it is still annoying. This chapter is a little too much drama and not enough humour for me but it should balance out soon enough - enjoy.

* * *

Naruto sat impatiently in the Hokage's office her knee jiggling up and down due to the excess energy she had at this moment in time, "Dobe, calm down!" Sasuke said exasperatedly from his seat next to her. Sasuke had come wither her to see the Hokage for moral support - having been so excited about talking to him as soon as the opportunity arose she suddenly didn't want too. She had too many questions in her mind that she didn't want the answers to, she was ecstatic to find to find a picture of a relation but what if the Hokage said that it was a coincidence? She wouldn't technically have lost anything but she had somehow grown attached to the woman in the picture.

The third eventually came through the large wooden doors and sat down opposite the two genin, "What can I do for you today, Sasuke, Naruto?"

Naruto held out the book for the old man to take, which he did with some curiosity, flipping to the page that had been marked his eyes widened slightly and then grew sad.

"I suppose you want to know how you are related to this woman?" Naruto nodded slowly and Sasuke grabbed her hand.

"Well," Sarutobi started, "I guess you where going to have to find out eventually, Uzumaki Kushina was your mother."

Naruto gawked at him, she had a feeling but to be actually told was something else, "My… mother?"

The old man nodded, "She, as your book says, was a former Jounin of whirlpool country before it dissolved, she came here and fell in love your father – Namikaze Minato."

Naruto looked blank, "I've never heard of…"

Sasuke bopped her on the head, "The fourth idiot."

"My father was the fourth?" She shouted.

Sarutobi nodded, "And as such he had many enemies – as did your mother, we could not risk it getting out that they had a child and hence it was kept from you." The old man looked at Naruto's male form, "You know you look so much like your mother, when I designed your male form I decided to make it as much like your father as I could."

Naruto nodded dumbly as the third continued, "Now that you know there is something I think you ought to know about… though this is a little more sensitive."

Naruto looked up into his eyes to see that they where full of regret, "The problem is that your mother has been, and still is, in a coma since your birth. It seems that during the birth some trauma occurred and she hasn't been responsive for coming on for thirteen years."

Naruto looked at the old man through tear filled eyes, "Can…" she choked out, "Can I see her?"

Sarutobi allowed himself a sad smile, "Now that you are old enough to protect yourself I can allow it – though please try to keep it secret."

Naruto nodded and held tightly on to Sasuke's hand, he didn't say anything – he knew that just being their for her was enough.

* * *

"No! Do not attempt to expel your chakra into a sphere, allow it to form the sphere as you rotate!"

"Yes father." Hinata answered emotionlessly, she was exhausted but she could not complain – to do so would only make her week before her fathers' eyes.

For the hundredth time that afternoon she attempted to perform her families' ultimate defence and for the hundredth time she failed. Her father had taken it upon himself to train her after her triumph over Neji in the preliminaries – he had taken it as a mark of her 'greatly improved strength'. In reality she had gotten lucky, she knew it, Neji knew it and all the people that had seen the match knew it but sadly her father didn't.

Well to be more exact her father did know but he was putting up a front before the family council, contrary to popular belief Hiashi wasn't a bad father – just strict. Hiashi knew full well that this life did not suit his daughter but he believed it better than the alternative so pushed her through with it. He would rather her suffer a little than be married off and turned into a prize breeding animal for some distant clan or have her sealed and placed in the branch family.

He sighed as he watched his daughter fail the Kaiten again when something caught his eyes, "Hinata! Do that again exactly as you just did!" he barked.

Hinata repeated the incorrect move and there it was again, "Well my daughter it would appear you will never get this move down as it is written in our clan scrolls." Hinata slumped forward in defeat, "However," her gaze snapped up, the faintest glimmer of hope in her pale eyes, "I believe that you may be able to improve upon it."

Hinata was gob smacked; her? _Improve_ one of the sacred family techniques?

"Keep it quiet for now and meet me tomorrow morning for training at four a.m. at my private training area."

Hinata nearly had a heart attack, her father never let anyone into his private training area, even Hanabi had only been allowed in once and she was his star pupil. Deep in thought she retired to her room trying to work out just what her father had seen that had him so 'excited' for lack of a better word.

* * *

The hospital room was a dull off white and the curtains being open allowed some sunlight to cast its golden hue over the woman laying silent and unmoving in the lone bed. Her hair was so long that it almost came to her waste and her arms where skinny from muscle wastage, her thinned out face was still beautiful though it seemed almost hollow now.

Naruto walked slowly to her bedside and looked at her face, dropping her illusion she stood next to the woman and pushed some of her mothers' hair from her brow. "Hello mum…" she said tears leaking down her cheeks, "you don't know me but… I'm your daughter."

Sasuke and Sarutobi stood by the door in silence, there was something gut wrenchingly sad about the scene – Naruto's words adding to the melancholia.

"I…. I've missed you… even though I've never met you I've missed you." She sobbed, "I… I want more than anything for you to wake up – I love you mum…"

She sat down on the chair next to the bed and picked up her mothers' hand, quietly Sarutobi made his leave while Sasuke pulled up another chair and sat beside Naruto in silence.

After a few minutes Naruto finally managed to speak again, "Thank you." She said quietly, Sasuke said nothing – it would have ruined the moment.

* * *

The next months training was somehow different from how they had imagined it, Sasuke had gone off with Kakashi but still returned every day to make some time for Naruto. Naruto was emotionally fragile right now, Sasuke was the only person who knew where it was she vanished to every evening and he wasn't telling.

Naruto had been training with a strange man by the name of Jiraiya though she preferred referring to the aging man as 'ero-sennin' much to his annoyance. Jiraiya let it slide though after finding out just how much stress the girl was under – she had barely slept more than a couple of hours a night instead opting to sit by her mothers bedside and tell her happy stories about her life up to this point (though most of them where from the last few months).

She was under so much stress in fact that all those important to her had seen it coming, they knew what was going to happen well before it did but could do nothing to stop it; one night Naruto simply… broke.

Sasuke was walking her home when they bumped into Anko, she had of course taken it upon herself to tease them as she walked along with them. Simple teasing about their relationship when they passed the playground next to the academy, a small boy was sat on his own on the swing. Naruto stopped to look at the boy remembering her own childhood – after a few minutes a woman came and collected the boy to shouts of "Mummy! Mummy!" and that pushed her over the edge. Why wasn't that her? Why did she have to hide who she was? Why was she the one to be beaten and stoned? Why did the village scowl at her just because she walked next to Sasuke as a girl? Why did her mother have to be in a coma? Why was she always ignored when she cried? Why did they take Anko-nee-san away when she needed her most? Why did everyone look down on her no matter how hard she tried? Why didn't anyone see her and not the Kyuubi?

These questions pressed her mind and she just stood there staring off into space, "Sayuri?" Anko called waving a hand in front of the girls face, "Are you ok?"

Naruto gave no answer, she just stood there unfocused eyes blinking intermittently the only sign of life. Sasuke moved in front of her and gently shook her, "Naruto? What's wrong? Can you hear me?"

"Shit." Anko said as she tried to get a response out of the girl.

"What is it? What's wrong with her?" Sasuke asked the older woman.

"I've seen this happen to prisoners before – she's snapped."

"Snapped?"

"Her mind's given up – we need to get her to hospital."

"What do you mean given up?" Sasuke demanded.

Anko sighed lifting the girl into her arms, "Exactly what I said, her mind couldn't take the pressure anymore so has closed all connections to the outside world. If she doesn't recover she'll just waste away – think of it as a coma with your eyes open."

Sasuke was stricken as he jumped with Anko to the hospital.

* * *

"I hate to do this with the exams so close but I am afraid I am going to have to send you on a mission." Sarutobi said looking out over the village, he turned and faced the young man stood before his desk – he hadn't seen Sasuke looking so withdrawn since his first date with Naruto.

"I can't leave the village – not until she's better." He said almost robotically.

Sarutobi sighed, "I am sending you to retrieve someone who can help her."

Sasuke's eyes snapped up, "Who? Why aren't they already here? Where can I find them?"

If it wasn't for the gravity of the situation he would have chuckled, as much as he would probably deny it the boy had fallen for the young redhead – and in such a short time too.

"The person in question is a Sanin and as such rarely returns to the village, she is one of the most famous medics of all time – the legendary Tsunade."

Sasuke nodded remembering something about her from the book with Naruto's mother in it, "When do I leave?"

"As soon as you can get your kit together," Came a voice from the window, turning Sasuke saw Naruto's perverted teacher sat on the window ledge, "I'll be coming with you – Tsunade was my team mate after all."

Sasuke nodded and bolted from the room, as soon as he left Jiraiya turned to the aging Hokage, "Are you sure I need to bring him sensei? It would be faster for me to travel alone."

The old man chuckled, "The reasons for him going a threefold; firstly to get him out the village for a while – Orochimaru is here and has taken an interest in him. Secondly he will not sit still as long as Sayuri is ill, he would torture himself unable to concentrate on training – he may actually learn more with you."

"What's the third reason?"

"To make sure you don't stop halfway to do 'research'." The aging man said with a smile and Jiraiya glared at him, "besides, he may also prove useful in persuading her to return – saving someone he loves, whether he denies it or not, may well strike a chord with her."

Jiraiya nodded, "Dan."

The door to the office smashed open revealing Sasuke in travelling gear and with a pack attached to his back.

Sarutobi looked at the clock in amazement, "That was fast – I am sure even my faster ANBU would struggle to get to the Uchiha district an back in that time."

Sasuke smirked, "Perhaps you should consider having them train with Gai – Kakashi forced me to spend the last three weeks sparing with the latex clad freak."

The aging Hokage winced, "Fair enough – get on your way then."

"See you soon sensei." Jiraiya said with a wave.

The old man waved back and sat at his desk, _'now'_ he thought, _'where's that document about a successor?'_


	11. Conflicting voices

AN: This chapter is up a bit later than usual as I was rather busy and as such I don't have tomorrows chapter written. I am going to be _very_ busy tomorrow so unless I free up some time tonight there will be no chapter - sorry folks. This chapter contains the starting of Sasuke's battle with himself and the seal, just to let you know this story is not a 'love conquers all' story - I am not giving any hints as to whether Sasuke will go to Orochimaru or not but I am letting you know now I am not going to have a cheesey 'I could never leave her!' type incident. See you maybe tomorrow but more likely saturday.

* * *

"I thought you said she wasn't a medic anymore?" Sasuke asked irritation obvious in his voice.

"She isn't." Jiraiya answered simply.

"Then why," Sasuke asked in frustration, "are we looking for her in a hospital?"

"We aren't."

"Then why the hell are we in a hospital?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Sasuke looked at the old man as he ogled a nurse that was walking by, "I think I just did." He muttered under his breath.

Jiraiya frowned at him and walked up to the reception desk, "Excuse me – I was wandering if you have any victims of 'self defence' here – I think you know what I mean."

The receptionist nodded once, "Why may I ask are you looking for such victims?"

"A want to know if a friend of mine has been through here – she is incredibly attractive and stronger than most Jounin."

"Ah," The receptionist replied with a smile, "She wouldn't be blonde by any chance would she?" Jiraiya nodded, "We have had a few near mortally wounded men in muttering about a blonde woman, good thing too the men around here could do with being taken down a peg."

Jiraiya's face broke into a smile, "May I ask where you picked them up?"

"They mostly came from over by a casino near the west gate."

"Figures… thanks for the help." He said as he walked out Sasuke in tow, "_That_ is why we were searching a hospital."

"Is she that strong?"

"Listen kid, I have only been in real danger of losing my life once, just once. It wasn't in a fight with some foreign Shinobi or even against Orochimaru – it was the time she caught me trying to peek on her."

Sasuke blinked, "You really are a pervert aren't you."

"No I am a super-pervert!"

* * *

Anko sat by her sisters' bedside in the hospital, the room had been sealed and no one was aloud to know what wing she was in but Anko had received special permission from the Hokage. It saddened her that it was necessary to take such measures to protect both her secret and her life against the petty villagers.

She looked at the vitals monitor absently – everything read as completely normal; there was nothing physically wrong with her as much as Anko wished there was. It seemed odd really that she wished that there was something physically wrong with the girl but at least then they knew how to fix it. Why did this village not have anyone competent at treating mental trauma – hell if the Yamanaka's could use the mind as a weapon then why not fix it?

She sighed; this kind of thinking was getting her nowhere and just getting her more riled up. She looked at the girls face, her eyes where open but glassy – a stoic and unmoving expression on her face. Sasuke had left two days ago and the girl had already lost three kilos in weight, she hadn't eaten and if she didn't start soon they where going to have to consider alternative means of getting the nutrients into her.

Anko punched the wall next to the bed, how could she have let this happen? She knew the amount of stress Naruto was putting herself through and yet she didn't do anything. Maybe if she'd teased her a little less about Sasuke she'd be ok… Anko slumped back into the chair and fell forward so that her head rested on Naruto's unmoving arm.

"Come on kid… don't let go – I need you," She sobbed softly, "I don't know what to do if your not around, I kept thinking of you that whole year I was away – I didn't want to come back just to watch you waste away."

* * *

Sasuke was annoyed by the aging perverts habits to say the least, having received the tip at the hospital they did _not_ go to the casino mentioned, instead they went to a bar. Ok he could see the point of going to one on the correct side of town but what guarantee did they have that she would come into this one of all the bars? Wouldn't they be better off going from bar to bar asking people if they had seen her rather than sitting in this one?

Sasuke was quietly nibbling on some bar snacks while watching with distain as the old man got increasingly drunk, he was about to say something when the drunk man's head shot up and stared across at the door.

"Lose everything again Tsunade?" he asked suddenly acting relatively sober.

"Jiraiya?" A… well-endowed blonde woman shouted in surprise, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." He answered simply.

She frowned sitting down on a nearby stool, her assistant sitting next to her, "And why, may I ask, are you looking for me?"

"Medical emergency back in the village."

Tsunade scoffed, "I retired – you know that."

Sasuke banged his fist on the table, "You can't say that – if someone needs your help you're just going to sit by and watch?"

Tsunade looked at him but decided to ignore him instead speaking to Jiraiya, "Whose the kid?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke seethed at being ignored, Tsunade laughed, "Thinking of luring me back using 'the last Uchiha', come on Jiraiya – give me more credit than that."

"Kid's not here to tempt you, the kid's here because Sarutobi wanted to keep him busy so he wouldn't get too depressed."

Sasuke sat back down as soon as Jiraiya said that, was that really the reason he was sent? To stop him getting 'emo' over Naruto?

"Over what?" She asked.

"His girlfriends the one that needs your help."

Tsunade inspected the Uchiha carefully, he looked rather upset, "What's her name kid?" Tsunade asked.

"Uzumaki Nar… Sayuri." He said staring at the floor.

Tsunade's brow furrowed and she looked at Jiraiya, "Wasn't that…?"

"Yup."

"I thought she was dead."

As soon as she said that Sasuke had grabbed her Sharingan blazing in both eyes, "She is _not_ dead but she will be if you don't help her," Sasuke let go of the surprised woman and slumped back into his chair keeping his head down to hide his face, "please." He finished.

Tsunade was about to make a retort when she noticed a droplet of water fall to the floor, the kid was crying? Memories flashed through her mind, she remembered trying to save Dan's life as he bled out on that battlefield, that feeling of hopelessness from knowing there was nothing she could do that could save him.

She opened her mouth again but couldn't bring herself to criticise a feeling she knew all to well – she recognised that anger in his eyes as he grabbed her, she could relate to his tears.

"Kid," She said in a sombre tone, "I… I really can't help you – I gave up being a medic for a reason."

"Is it good enough reason to let her die?" Jiraiya asked his team mate, "Her wounds are psychological – no blood involved."

Tsunade was rapidly losing her reasons not to help, she sighed, "I'll help if you can answer me this one question kid."

Sasuke looked up, his eyes red but not from Sharingan, "What?"

"Do you love her?"

Sasuke blinked, "We've only been together for…"

"Do you love her?"

"I… I'm an avenger…"

"Not an answer kid – one last chance, yes or no – Do. You. Love. Her?" She asked punctuating each word.

Sasuke was silent for a long moment as realisation dawned on him, they had been together for what – a month now? Just over? Somewhere along the way it had happened, somehow he had forgotten who he was and come to rely on her – she'd changed him, "yes." He answered, his voice quiet and contemplative.

"Then I'll help – when do you want to leave?"

"Immediately." Jiraiya answered.

"Suits me – I think I just saw a debt collector walk past the window."

* * *

Sasuke was silent the whole journey back, he loved her? That couldn't be right, he couldn't have allowed himself such feelings, but then if he never wanted it to happen why did he ask her out in the first place?

Sasuke was confused, he was an avenger – he didn't need to be confused all he needed was to get strong enough to kill his brother! It didn't matter what happened along the way as long as Itachi died… but… could he abandon a feeling this strong.

He was angry, angry that he had allowed himself this… this…_ weakness._ Love wouldn't help him kill his brother, love wouldn't avenge his parents.

'_But it might have made them happy.' _A voice in the back of his head reminded him, _'wouldn't they want you to be happy?'_

Another voice cut across the first, _'How can you be happy as long as he lives? It would be a false happiness.'_

The first voice spoke again, _'But it has always been your hope to rebuild the clan – if you abandon her now you may never get her back and can you see rebuilding your clan with anyone else?'_

The second voice scoffed, _'What purpose is there in rebuilding the clan when Itachi is still on the loose? He may come back and destroy it again and where would that leave you? What good is this so called love if Itachi kills her?'_

The first voice had an answer, _'Then grow strong – not to defeat him but to protect her… remember what Anko said, that is a feeling that Orochimaru cannot understand.'_

The second voice almost laughed, _'So what if Orochimaru cannot understand it, that simply proves that it is a useless feeling – isn't Orochimaru strong? Doesn't he hold the title of Sanin?'_

The first voice argued back, _'Yes but he was denied the title of Hokage – wasn't the fourth stronger? Didn't he live to protect those he loved?'_

Again the second voice gave a convincing counter argument, _'The fourth died because of that attitude, you will never defeat Itachi dead. Besides what good did the fourths death do? His wife has been in a coma for thirteen years and his daughter is regularly beaten.'_

The first voice sighed, _'Lives where sacrificed but the village was saved.'_

The second voice smugly replied, _'But among the sacrifices where those he loved, if he grew strong to protect his loved ones did he not fail?'_

The first voice cut the second off, _'Those where extraordinary circumstances, you are protecting from a human not the greatest of all demons.'_

The second voice was silent for a moment, _'If Itachi where to learn of your love he may kill her just to anger you further… why not go to Orochimaru to gain strength?'_

For the first time in his internal debate Sasuke became aware of the identity of the second voice, he remembered what Anko had told him in that hospital room:

"_Calling to you?" Sasuke questioned._

_Anko nodded, "Listen and you will hear it, it is there in the back of your mind questioning your actions, making you seek power."_

Sasuke realised that this was what Anko had warned him about – the seal was trying to persuade him that he needed to go to Orochimaru to gain the power to avenge his family. The first voice must be the side of him that wanted to protect his precious people, Anko was right; Orochimaru couldn't understand that feeling so the Seal couldn't influence that side of him.

He was still puzzled though, even if part of him could battle the mind controlling effects of the seal using his feelings for Naruto the part the seal controlled had made a convincing argument. Itachi _might_ attack Naruto to get to Sasuke but similarly the side of him that wanted to protect her was right – if he was scared of that happening then he should grow stronger so that he could prevent it.

He didn't know what to do, he couldn't rely on Naruto's identity being secret – after all he had uncovered Naruto what was to stop Itachi doing the same?

"Sasuke!" Tsunade shouted snapping him out of his musings.

"Huh?" he asked.

Tsunade scoffed, "You could at least give an intelligible answer," Sasuke scowled at her, "We're nearly at the village, when we get their I want you to take me straight to where she is – if the old perv's description of her condition is accurate I want to see her asap."

Sasuke nodded as he realised that the village gates had just come into view.


	12. Past Mistakes

AN: well I didn't specify which saturday scratches back of head nervously. I was even busier than I expected and for substantially longer, sorry about that - it also means I doubt i will be able to resume the daily updates but I will give it my best. Oh and to the person that PMed me - I accidentally deleted the message and can't remember you name (sorry!) if you still want to talk to me you will need to PM me again. This chapter is a little rushed as I didn't want to keep everyone waiting even longer - in the time this chapter was not up the story recieved a lot of hits - though I am curious as to how chapters 7, 8, 9 and 10 have less hits than 11 - people skipping ahead? Anyway, sorry for the delay and here is the chapter.

* * *

Tsunade sighed lowering her hand from the semi-conscious girls forehead, "She is well on her way to slipping into a coma and if she does that there will be no way to help her."

"Can you help her now?" Sasuke asked his demeanour that of someone that had been defeated.

"In a manner of speaking, though to be more exact you can."

"I can?" Sasuke asked.

"The build up of stress, although apparently recent, would appear to stretch back many years – it is likely that there is a single point of trauma that it is all built upon, from what I have heard I likely know what it is as I am sure you do." Sasuke nodded, "But we cannot be sure of that and there is only way to be sure and fortunately it is the same way to treat the issue."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked desperately.

"You need to enter her mind and comfort her – well that is a gross simplification of the process but the basic premise is to send an anchor of her pleasant emotions in the present to deal with her unpleasant emotions of the past." She put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, "And I can't think of anyone better to serve as a reminder of how happy she can be in the present."

Sasuke nodded dumbly, "But… I don't know if I could cope seeing that happen to her."

Tsunade sighed, "I understand your feelings completely and I understand your hesitance but when you started a relationship with her you accepted her burdens to be added to your own. That is what it means to be in love, Sasuke, to share a joy with someone you love increases the joy hundredfold, to share pain decreases it just as much."

Sasuke steeled himself, he had to do this – if not she may never recover, "Ok – I'll do it."

Tsunade smiled at him, "Looks like she found a reliable guy – I'm a little jealous."

* * *

Sasuke blinked trying to adjust his eyes to the dark, he moved his foot to find that it was ankle deep in black water. Looking around he noticed pipes running along the walls and various branching corridors on every side, was this really Naruto's mind?

Stepping forward he felt his way along the wall turning into the first corridor he came to, he was immediately greeted by a small redheaded girl looking at him emotionlessly, "Why are you here?" the girl asked.

Sasuke crouched, "To help you." He answered the young Naruto.

"Liar," she said with a hint of anger, "No one wants to help me – I am a demon, a monster, a…" She stopped when Sasuke pulled her into a hug.

"You are none of those things – you are you and the girl I fell in love with."

"Love?" the young girl questioned.

"Yes, love." Sasuke said holding her tight, looking behind her he realised that this was a Naruto from a specific memory – behind her a scene was playing out in the orphanage where she had lived as a boy. A woman was screaming that no one would ever love the 'boy' – that no one would ever love such a horrible creature.

"What is love?" The girls asked.

"Love is what makes people precious to you," Sasuke answered, "Love is when someone accepts you completely regardless of who you are or… what you contain."

"You don't think I'm a demon?"

"You're not a demon – you're my Naruto-chan and I love you."

A small smile formed on the girls lips and she faded away into a wisp of thin mist taking the scene behind her with her, "Thank you."

Sasuke stood sadly moving on, how many of these memories did he have to help her with – she had such a terrible up bringing that he could not even imagine the number of memories like this she might have.

He choked back a sob as he realised the implication of what she had asked, 'what is love?' – he had at least known love, she had never known it until Anko at the earliest.

He had quite the trek ahead of him.

* * *

He held the sobbing three year old against his chest; her bare back heaving up and down as she cried into shoulder. Her wrists and ankles bearing marks where ropes had dug into them and her young skin was broken and bruised in multiple places.

He tried to hold back his own tears but he couldn't help it as he watched the scene behind her, the foul man with his trousers around his ankles moving toward her – knowing he would be stopped any second did not make it any better.

He soothed her hair and whispered quiet soothing words to her, she was clearly distraught and he could understand why. Not only was this the most horrific thing she had ever experience but also at this stage in her life she did not know what or why it was happing.

This was her first abuse – the first time anyone had been mean to her, previously her identity had been kept secret but these men had uncovered her. This was why she was forced to pretend to be a boy; this was why she was forced to be revealed to the village.

He watched as the ANBU stormed the scene, "Thank you for comforting me – she is waiting ahead."

The girl disappeared in wisp of mist and again Sasuke's way was left clear, he fell down and let his tears fall to the ground. How could she stand this? How had she lasted so long before breaking? He was almost ready to give up on life just helping her through a handful of memories.

Standing he grasped his way along the corridor again, he would be strong and save her – who knows maybe he would be stronger as well by the end of this. He sure as hell would understand her better.

* * *

Sasuke watched the scene in horror, there was no past Naruto this time for him to comfort, just the scene before him for him to watch. It was from the academy, fairly early on by the looks of it, Naruto appeared to be about seven years old and was talking to a small black haired boy… Sasuke.

Sasuke watched horrified as he himself called the 'boy' names and criticised everything about him; his cheap and old clothes, that he was dirty, that he was an orphan.

The current Sasuke fell to his knees as he watched the scene unfold, he watched his own eyes gain a satisfied gleam as Naruto began to become visibly upset. Was he really so sadistic as to take pleasure in tormenting someone who had probably just asked to play with him?

Suddenly the scene gained a sharper focus and the sound became crystal clear, "My father says you're a monster but I think he is being _nice_." The young Sasuke said before spitting on Naruto and running off - had he really said that?

Naruto wandered over to that swing that she had always sat on and sat down in silence looking at the ground just in front of her, she didn't cry. That hurt Sasuke a lot – knowing that she was so hurt and couldn't show it, he longed to comfort her, he longed to take back his words but there was no one for him to apologise to.

The memory faded out and left in it's place the Naruto he knew now; hugging her own knees and singing herself a lullaby. It was painful to for Sasuke to hear but he approached the girl, she was rocking backwards and forwards and sobbing slightly.

Sasuke placed a hand on her shoulder but withdrew it when she recoiled, "Na… Sayuri?" he asked quietly.

She gave no response that she had heard him other than continuing to quietly move away from him. Sasuke followed slowly trying not to scare her.

"Sayuri, it's me; Sasuke."

She continued to pull back away from him but this time spoke, "P-Please… don't hurt m-me." She whimpered.

"I won't hurt you, I'm here to help."

"No! T-that what they s-say, that's w-what they always s-say."

"That's what who says?"

"The-the people, the people th-that hurt m-me."

Sasuke tried to keep his temper in check, "No one will hurt you when I'm here Sayuri-chan."

She shook her head, "P-Please," she sobbed tears streaming now, "J-Just leave me alone!"

"I can't do that – I can't bare to see you in such pain."

"W-what do you care? Y-you wouldn't e-even have l-lunch with me."

Sasuke flinched, that was what the memory had been about – he hated himself for what he had done but he couldn't take it back.

"I changed, I didn't know you then."

"Y-you think you know m-me now?"

Sasuke smiled, "I know you better, and want to learn more."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

There was silence when the girl stopped shaking and looked at him, her eyes locked with his and he smiled, "I love you, Sayuri, and I will always love you."

The girl approached him cautiously, "D-do you mean that?"

Sasuke broke into a genuine grin, "More than anything."

She allowed him to pull her into a tight embrace not quite sure of herself yet, "Even though I… I…"

"I don't care about what others think of you or what is inside of you, all I care about is that you are you."

Sayuri smiled for the first time since he had entered her mind, "Thank you." She said softly into his ear, in a swirl of colours and darkness Sasuke found himself back in the hospital room.

Sayuri sat up slowly on her bed, "What time is it?" she asked scratching herself in a rather unladylike fashion.

Before anyone could say anything Anko had pounced onto the unsuspecting girl and was holding her tightly as she cried tears of sheer joy.

"A-Anko-chan?" she asked suddenly wide-awake from the shock.

She received a light bop on the head, "it's Nee-san!" Anko said happily holding the girl event tighter, "And never do that again!"

* * *

Two days later Tsunade stood over the peaceful form of Uzumaki Kushina while Anko, Sasuke, Naruto and the third stood around the outer wall of the room. After what felt like hours Tsunade sighed and turned around to face the onlookers.

"I'm afraid that although she is better than she has been in a long time she only shows the minimum signs of responsiveness – there is nothing I can do for now."

Naruto looked heartbroken but then looked up again hopeful, "You said 'for now', does that mean you can do something soon?"

Tsunade smiled slightly, "You sure picked up on that quick, but sadly no. For now she is showing steady but slow progress – if you continue to come and talk to her she _may_ eventually become responsive enough for me to try and wake her, but there is no guarantee that she will ever wake up."

Naruto nodded glumly and took a seat with Sasuke soothing her gently, the third coughed slightly, "I am sure that this is an inappropriate time and place to mention this but I am in something of a rush to get it done – Tsunade I want you to take over from me as Hokage."

There was a shocked silence before Naruto shouted, "No!" everyone looked at her and she blushed, "Well… I… you see… I wanted to be the first woman hokage." She said scratching the back of her head.

Everyone in the room laughed merrily and Naruto blushed a deeper red, "Well I would hate to rob the kid of her dreams old man." Tsunade said trying to subtly turn him down.

The third smiled, "I am sure Naruto will manage, but I am old and doubt I will hold out long should Orochimaru be planning something."

"I'm hardly a spring chicken myself sensei."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with a puzzled expression, "It's a saying." Was all the clarification she received.

"Yes but you are younger and more able than I."

Tsunade felt another losing battle coming on, "But… you can't have a haemophobic Hokage!" she declared with a sense of victory, _'Ha! Beat that old man!'_

Sarutobi smiled, "Sorry to tell you this Tsunade but I have had you followed since you got here," Tsunade paled, "and as a consequence I know that since your arrival you have visited the majority of patients in this hospital… couldn't resist it could you?"

Tsunade sighed in defeat, "Damn Sayuri," she turned to the girl in question, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have gotten that reminder of how great it feels to practice medicine."

Sayuri smiled, "You know you love me really."

Tsunade returned the smile, "I guess I will have to take your dream kid."

"It's ok," Sayuri said with a smile, "I'll just have to settle for first _young_ woman Hokage."

Everyone in the room laughed as Sayuri dodged Tsunade's legendary fist.


	13. Ramen Stand

AN: 'Rumours of my demise are greatly exagerated' - or something like that.

Sorry for the long delay but... well I have been a combination of busy and lazy. I have had a fair amount of free time in which to write but I have also been to tired to write in it due to various things going on in my life right now. I have been nagged incessantly by my mother to stop living out of cardboard boxes as I have been doing for the last about three weeks now, personally I don't see the point in unpacking when I am moving again in less than two months but hey... that's just me. That is the crux of my delayed updates, I have moved from my flat to my parents house and in a couple of month will be moving into a house with two friends of mine, sadly this means I am stuck in my parents routine. I have not had a bed time for I don't know how long but I effectively have one again now - apparently staying at the pub late and coming back at two in the morning wakes them up and makes them tired for work... I can't wait to move out again.

Well enough of me whining about my parents like some emo kid, on with the story - and if you feel it is to long before you see another update for christ sake start nagging me, I do nothing without motivation (hence the living out of boxes issue) - onward!

* * *

Tsunade sighed as she looked over the two in front of her, she turned to the old man sat next to her with a pleading expression, "Please don't make me decide." She said fully aware of how pathetic she sounded.

Sarutobi chuckled lightly, "Well you are now technically Hokage even if you haven't had your inauguration ceremony, plus as her physician it would be your decision anyway."

Tsunade looked again to the two children currently stood in front of them, Naruto and Sasuke had come into the office she was temporarily sharing with the third until her official takeover, they wanted to know if Naruto could still take part in the finals of the Chunin exams.

Tsunade looked at the young girl thoughtfully, "I can't allow you to take part with a clear conscience; there are some very strong people in this exam and I don't think you are fully recuperated."

Naruto's entire body seemed to slump and her face sank into a sad expression that seemed so alien to her features.

Sasuke decided to speak up, "I think you should let her take part."

Tsunade raised one eyebrow, "Oh? And why is that?"

"To pull her out now would not be fair to her and show weakness on the part of Konoha," Tsunade's expression clearly said 'how?', "Other participants in this round became injured in the last round and have spent similar amounts of time in hospital – Naruto's first opponent, Hinata, was in hospital for a while after her fight. To pull her out now would be showing bias against a single person, if you pull out Naruto you will have to pull out Hinata and I don't imagine Hiashi would be happy about that."

Tsunade blinked and Sarutobi chuckled, "He has you there Tsunade, I would hate to have to explain this to Hiashi, but thankfully I'm retiring."

The elderly woman grumbled, "Ok… but I want to be in there if anything happens."

The third gently pulled a breath through his pipe in thought, "I guess we could change the arrangements – I will let you sit with me in the Hokage box, that will let you be on hand immediately without having to push through the crowds."

Naruto, having previously been ecstatic about being allowed to compete, now looked puzzled, "Why wasn't baa-chan going to be in the Hokage box anyway?"

Tsunade smiled, "Because I was supposed to be making arrangement for my inauguration ceremony – we decided to hold it on the evening of the exams because the other villages would still be here to witness it. It would have been a way of showing off to the other villages."

"Oh…"

Tsunade who had been reaching for a document suddenly snapped her head up to stare the young girl, "Hang on… did you just call me Baa-chan?"

* * *

"Yes! Do it again!" Hiashi shouted to his daughter, the rare smile evident on his ageing features.

Hinata obliged, tired but happy; she had been training with her father in his private training area now for several days and each day he seemed to get happier with her performance. Long gone was his cold stare and quiet disappointment, having taken time to study her form in detail and make alterations to it he had discovered why she was so 'poor' at the jyuuken style.

The reason was quite simple really; over the years the jyuuken style had been tailored to suit an angular attack from a low centre of gravity. Hinata simply could not maintain that low centre of gravity, she was far too light on her feet – she was dancing more than fighting.

So Hiashi had built a virtually new style based on his daughters' movements and the jyuuken style. In order to have it ready for the Chunin exams the training had been intense, they had already developed twenty-three kata and he was still not satisfied. The problem was that Hinata just kept going, she kept finding new ways to move now that he allowed her to try.

Currently they where refining her modified Kaiten, Hinata wasn't as sure but Hiashi insisted it was superior to the original and was attempting to duplicate her version himself though with little success. Hinata was sure that the elders would disapprove of the new 'bastardised' style but when she brought her concerns to her father she had received a surprising response.

"_Let them,"_ he had said with that barely visible smile he seemed to wear more by the day, _"Let me deal with the council, them being set in their ways is what prevented me from seeing your potential to begin with… I am sorry for all I have done, and I hope you will forgive me. I have never been prouder of you my daughter."_

Hinata's smile fell slightly as she continued with the training as she remembered the catch 22 she was now stuck in – she had drawn to fight with Naruto in the first round. She didn't want to hurt him, she more than anything wanted to see Naruto promoted, more even than she wanted to be promoted herself… but… her father needed her to prove this new style in the exam or the council would have ample grounds to veto it.

She sighed and her father walked over to her, "You are thinking of it again." He said simply.

Hinata nodded, "I know the council will disapprove of the style if I don't win but… I don't think I can hurt him."

Hiashi took a deep breath, he had known for some time of his daughters crush and had also known of how futile it was – after all the Hokage had needed someone with Byukagan to test that the henge seal on the girl was effective against it. He now was unsure what to do as well, telling his daughter may allow her to defeat the other girl but may also break her heart and make her unable to face the other girl in the arena.

"Do you truly love him?" Hiashi asked trying another approach.

She looked at him sadly, "Yes, I do."

Hiashi sighed inwardly, she did not know it but she had lead herself down a road full of pain in the future, he shook it off as something to address in the near future, "Then do not hold back – show her how strong you have become."

"Her?" Hinata asked.

Hiashi blinked, it was not common for him to make such a mistake, even if he had been thinking of the disguised girl, "A mere slip, please continue."

Hinata did as was asked but her mind seemed to snag on that word, why had Hiashi called Naruto a girl? And just the other night he had refused to answer her questions about Naruto being made of chakra despite clearly knowing more than he let on. She would have to think on this tonight when she had a bit more time and could devote all her concentration.

* * *

Sasuke, Sakura and a undisguised Naruto walked through the flaps of Ichiraku ramen, Naruto had raised several objections to going out without her disguise but the other two had been quick to ignore her protests. Sakura seemed to have gotten it into her head that the ideal way of allowing Naruto to be in her female form more often would be to slowly introduce her in public with more than just Sasuke for company. She claimed that being seen with other people would decrease the 'mystery' of the girl that was, Sakura claimed, the reason everyone was so interested in her. Of course she ignored Naruto saying that she didn't _want_ to be in her female form more often saying that she would have to give up 'being a boy' sooner or later.

As they sat down Ayame turned round to take their orders, "What can I get… Sayuri! I haven't seen you in ages, how's that sister of yours?"

Naruto smiled prettily, "She's good, she returned from her mission a short while ago and we've been catching up."

Ayame nodded looking over to see who she was with, her gaze stopped on Sasuke, leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially, "Don't tell me the rumoured redhead is you?"

Naruto blushed and nodded, Ayame punched her lightly, "Way to go girl, now what can I get you all?"

Sakura and Sasuke who had been smiling at the interplay between Naruto and the ramen girl made their orders before turning conversation to general gossip.

"I hear that Hinata is being trained exclusively by her father in preparation for the coming fight." Sakura said conversationally.

Sasuke nodded, "Naruto will have to watch his back, Hyuuga's can be deceptively powerful."

Naruto frowned at being referred to as if she was not there, "That as may be _he_ is pretty strong _himself_."

Sakura giggled and was about to reply when an indignant shout came from behind them, "Oi! Forehead!"

Sasuke groaned and hit his head against the table, Naruto patted his back supportively, "Hey Ino!" Sakura called out, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just around, Oh! Hello _Sasuke-kun_," she said silkily much to Naruto's annoyance, turning to aforementioned girl she spoke in a rather patronising tone, "and I don't believe I have had the _pleasure_ of meeting _you_ before."

"Yes you have," Naruto said in a voice that caused the ramen pots to come off the boil, "When you decided to ruin one of the rare occasions me and Sasuke get to be together."

Ino spluttered for a moment, "Forehead was there too!" she eventually got out.

Sasuke smirked, "Yes but she apologised."

Ino scowled, "In that case, I apologise too." She said with no sincerity in her voice at all.

Having never received anything other than insincerity in her life Naruto was satisfied enough to stop glaring at the girl, "Why don't you join us… Ino was it?" Naruto asked feigning ignorance.

Still sour but willing to forgive if Naruto was Sasuke nodded, "Yes, she was at the academy with me and Sakura."

Ino nodded, "I didn't catch your name though."

"Sayuri." She answered with a smile, Ino didn't notice but once again Sasuke and Sakura where reminded of just how fake her smiles where.

"So, Sayuri," Ino said sitting down on an empty stool, "what exactly is your relationship with Sasuke-kun?" she asked placing a hand on the boys arm as she did so, annoying all present – even Ayame who was placing a complementary green tea in front of the girl.

"We're dating." She replied, eyeing the physical contact between the two dubiously.

Ino smiled in a sickly fashion, "Really? And how did you meet?"

Sasuke, growing annoyed by the physical contact and not wanting to upset Naruto, removed Ino's hand, "We met shortly after I joined the academy." He replied, it was technically true after all and it was never a good idea to lie to a Yamanaka.

"Really, so where you chasing Sasuke all this time as well then?" Ino asked trying to grip Sasuke again and failing as he pulled his arm away.

"Not really," Naruto replied, "I always found him attractive but I never considered pursuing him."

Ino frowned, "Then why did you ask him out?"

Sakura smirked, she had heard the story from them and couldn't wait to see Ino's face when she heard about it, Sakura decided to answer, "She didn't"

"Then…" Ino's face was puzzled, the truth was obvious but it was apparent she wasn't going to believe it until someone told her directly."

"I asked her out," Sasuke said, reaching across and grabbing Naruto's hand, "and she agreed."

Ino's face fell comically, it travelled from it's initial confusion; through surprise, briefly though anger before coming to rest at upset.

"B…But… you never had any interest in girls."

Sasuke smiled, shocking the girl even more, "No… I just hadn't found one I was interested in."

"Excuse me," Ino said standing up and looking a little pale, "I… I'm suddenly not feeling well, I'll see you at the finals."

As she left Sasuke sat stoically in his chair while Naruto, Sakura and Ayame waved the girl off with overly happy fake smiles. As soon as she was out of earshot the three girls broke into laughter, "That!" Ayame wheezed out, "That was better than the time Naruto-kun tried to eat a chopstick that fell in his Ramen believing it to be a noodle."

This of course caused Sakura to howl even louder and Sasuke to smirk at the now blushing girl.


	14. The Divine Whirl of Wind

AN: I wasnt joking when I said if you don't nag me I won't update... Well this chapter has me doing two things I detest in other authors - hooray for hypocrisy! I detest the overuse of japanese, I all the comon ones thrown into fanfiction (Aho, okaa-san, Usotsuki, Daijobu, Baka etc.) and generally only use honorifics unless a specific moment calls for use of simple japanese for effect (I find 'gomen' a more fittin apology than 'I'm sorry' in a lot of places). But the majority of japanese in fanfiction is used to make people look smart and leaves people who don't know the words feeling stupid, for those who don't know the word's meaning; in this chapter Hanabi says 'sugoi' which roughly translates to 'amazing' but I felt the japanese fitted the statement better.

The other thing I hate and have done is a cliffhanger, it's not so much that I hate cliff hanger endings as much as I hate them being thrown in what feels like the middle of a chapter, it leaves you thinking that the author has split one chapter into two parts. Just so you know, although this chapter ends on a cliffhanger then next chapter will not pick up at the end of this one; lile many of my previous chapters there will be a skip in time between this one and the next - I am just that lazy. Well before this turns into a rant of megatokyo proportions - on with the show!

* * *

Tsunade settled herself into her seat overlooking the stadium, when she had heard the Hokage box would let her be on her hand she assumed it would actually be somewhere near the contestants… apparently not. To her left sat the Sandaime puffing lightly on his pipe and to her right the Kazekage looked to be slightly on edge.

"May I ask," the foreign noble began, "why Konoha has two Shinobi in the Kage box?"

Sarutobi chuckled, "As you well know Kazekage-san, Konoha is holding an official passing of the torch from me to the fifth here," he said motioning to Tsunade, "tonight, at her own request she is present to watch the exams and we could hardly place such an important person in the sidelines."

The man seemed mildly placated and turned back to view the centre of the arena were the contestants where entering, _'good'_ Orochimaru thought to himself, _'it is a coincidence, and no matter; I can take care of them both as long as they are not suspecting attack all shall go to plan_.'

* * *

Hinata was trying her best not to hyperventilate under the watchful gaze of the entire arena, for a chronically shy girl this was nearly hell. She looked off to her right where her crush and opponent stood apparently soaking up the attention, she wished she was as confidant as him.

Naruto was looking around at the faces of the crowds, _'today,'_ she thought, _'today, I will show you all that I am strong enough.'_

Her attention was suddenly pulled to the front as the proctor for the third exam explained the rules to them and the audience. The time seemed to fly by and before she knew it she was stood opposite Hinata with her friends and opponents stood in the waiting area.

The proctor dropped his arm and jumped away leaving the two competitors looking at each other, "How are you Hinata?" Naruto asked conversationally.

Hinata blinked, "G-good thank-you, y-yourself?"

Naruto nodded, "I'm good too, shall we get started then?" she finished with a smirk, when Hinata gave a small nod she jumped back away from the girl and began her analysis.

'_Ok, from what I know she is a close combat fighter so I will need to keep my distance. The hidden mist technique would be useless here because of her bloodline and I don't know any long range jutsu. Sasuke told me that her bloodline will make projectile weapons useless… I'm kind of screwed aren't I?' _she inspected Hinata who was closing the distance between them, _'well I guess I'll just have to try my best anyway.'_

"Kage Bunshin!" she shouted producing a large number of clones that ran around and surrounded Hinata, _'Taijutsu is probably useless but I may as well test her abilities – maybe I can pull this off on sheer numbers…'_

With a mighty roar all the clones jumped forward, with a sudden movement Hinata spun throwing a palm upward into a clone and continuing her twist through the gap she had create and ending up stood just away from where the clones where now piled up in one undignified heap. The audience was amazed by that one movement – it was graceful, efficient and not a single movement had been wasted.

"What was that?" Neji asked incredulously from his seat to behind the Hyuuga head – he had been assigned guard duty that day.

"That," Hiashi replied, "was the third kata of the 'stroking palm' style."

"Stroking palm?" Hanabi asked from next to her father, "I have never heard of it."

Hiashi smiled, "No one has – it was developed by your sister under my guidance."

Neji stared at him incredulously while Hanabi's eyes widened and snapped back to the arena, "Onee-chan… sugoi."

To Hiashi's left came muttering which he chose to ignore – a few of the council elders had come to see the girl 'humiliate herself' and where horrified to see that she was practicing an 'impure' form of the Juuken.

Back in the fighting area Hinata had remained in place next to the pile of clones, with a deep breath she slid one foot in front of her and lowered her right arm to her side in a familiar Juuken pose, however once there she cupped her hand rather than flattened it and raised her left arm so that her that the palm of her left hand faced outward and hovered just under her chin.

Naruto frowned, this was not the style she had seen Hinata use in the preliminaries – she had no idea what to expect of it. Commanding her clones to once again form a circle around Hinata she decided to test her defences against projectiles – it couldn't be as good as Sasuke made out… could it?

Forming more clones so that Hinata was completely surrounded she had every clone throw there weapons at once and then the clones produced a chorus of shouts of "Kage Shuriken!"

The audience gasped, where had the demon learnt that technique? How dare it use that attack on the Hyuuga heiress!

Jiraiya smiled from his vantage point in the gallery, apparently Sarutobi _hadn't_ taken her for 'medical recuperation' at his home… crafty bastard wanted to make sure she was ok to fight after her prolonged medical leave.

Hinata smiled as she watched the weapons approach in their thousands – if there was ever an opportunity to show off her new Kaiten this was it… she just hoped it was as good as father made out.

Hinata stood stock still as the weapons came closer, ten meters, fiver meters, three meters… when the weapons where just two meters away she started her technique, "Kaze no Kaiten!" (Divine whirl of wind) she shouted.

The audience gasped as they saw a spherical sphere of spinning chakra form around the still motionless girl, the weapons stopped upon contact before being thrown back randomly like a grenade going off. Pops and puffs of smoke alerted her to the devastation caused by her returned her attack; she just hoped Naruto was ok.

"What the hell was that?" shouted a council member from beside Hiashi.

"That was the stroking palm styles 'Kaze no Kaiten', I am quite envious of it though my attempts to copy it have proved quite fruitless." The council members gawked at the mans admission, little did they know just how powerful the technique was, Hiashi thought back to its' conception:

_Hinata stood nervously in the centre of her fathers private training area as he looked at her, "While watching your training yesterday," he began, "I became aware of an abnormality in your attempted Kaiten, it seemed you where attempting to form the sphere of chakra before you began to spin yourself."_

_Hinata looked at the floor, "G…Gomen…"_

_Hiashi smiled sadly, "I am not angry… it is a common mistake when starting to learn the technique, what caught my eye was that you where succeeding."_

_Hinata's gaze snapped up, "I…is that wrong?"_

_Hiashi shook his head, "No… it's impossible." He said after a pause._

_Hinata frowned, "Impossible?"_

_Hiashi nodded, "It has been the goal of the Hyuuga clan for many years to produce a Kaiten without the need to spin. The spin, although compensated for somewhat by our enhanced eyes, decreases visibility leaving us vulnerable for a split second at the end of the technique."_

"_How?" Hinata asked – her curiosity overcoming her nerves._

_Hiashi sighed, "the technique surrounds us in a bubble of our own chakra, as our eyes can see chakra it obscures our view of our surroundings, as it does not dissipate instantly at the end of the spin we are essentially blind in battle for as long as a second afterward."_

_Hinata was surprised, she had never known the technique her clan was so proud of had such a fatal floor._

"_As such members of our family have been trying to remove the spin for some time."_

"_Why would removing the spin help? Would we not still be blinded?"_

_Hiashi smiled at his daughter, "Yes, but with the spin removed you can keep your regular eyesight locked onto your opponent – this is not blinded by the chakra. This would mean the Kaiten would leave you with the vision of a normal Shinobi for that vital one second rather than completely blinded."_

_Hinata's eyes widened, "But you said it was impossible."_

"_It has always thought to be so, no one in the clan has ever succeeded in performing a Kaiten without spinning… but yesterday your chakra began to form the whirl without the need for you to be in motion."_

"_How?"_

"_From what I saw you are moving the chakra upon exiting your body by saturating the air with chakra and forcing it to move, the wind is then carrying your chakra which in turn continues to push the wind. If you can refine this accidental process you could produce a spinning sphere of chakra around your body without the need for manually spinning it."_

_Hinata locked her face into a determined expression, "How do I start?"_

Presently the audience was gazing in awe at the Hyuuga heiress, she had – without moving – unleashed an attack so deadly it had destroyed every one of the demon brats' clones… so much for a failed heiress.

Naruto stood panting holding her left arm, one of the returned projectiles had returned with a substantial amount of force and was currently embedded into her bicep. With a grunt and a squelching noise that turned some of the civilian spectators stomachs, she yanked the weapon from her arm.

"That was very impressive Hinata." Naruto said.

"Th-Thank you N-N-Naruto-kun."

She smiled at the dark haired girl, "I guess I should pull out all the stops huh?"

Hinata nodded, "Then s-so shall I."

Naruto grinned, "I expect nothing less."

Naruto ran in for a one on one taijutsu battle, she knew she had lost, she was not one to give up but she was clearly outclassed – she could fight the Juuken style from what she had seen of it but the style Hinata was using seemed to be designed to be especially effective against her. The smooth and graceful dodges and unavoidable counter-strikes, the elegant flow of her weight from one foot to the other prevented Naruto from getting the slightest grip on the smaller girl.

Backing off Naruto realised her right arm was useless, "When did you?"

"W-when my hand ran d-down it parrying y-your last punch."

"That slight stroke?"

Hinata nodded, "I call this style 'stroking palm' because it is all it needs or you will feel, the second you engaged me in taijutsu you lost."

Naruto nodded, "I knew that already."

Hinata frowned, "Then why did you…?"

Naruto smiled, and leant in close enough to whisper in her ear, "Might as well give them a display of your skill, it's sure to help you pass."

Hinata turned red at the sudden proximity and feinted, walking over to them the proctor raised his hand, "Hyuuga Hinata K.O. – winner Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto sweat-dropped and in the stands Hiashi smacked his face, _'No matter how much stronger she gets she's still Hinata,' _he smiled slightly, _'and still my daughter, I would have her no other way.'_

* * *

"Hokage-san," Orochimaru started, "what just happened?"

Sarutobi chuckled slightly, "A very powerful technique…"

"What, may I ask, was that technique?"

Sarutobi shook his head, "Sorry, Konoha secret."

Next to him Tsunade laughed slightly, "Perhaps Naruto could bottle and sell whatver it is he has – that is the luckiest kid I have ever seen, I never would have thought he would pull a victory out of that fight."

The aging Hokage smiled at her, "If luck came in bottles I assume you would buy the entire stock before heading for the card tables?"

Tsunade laughed "Hell yes! Perhaps I should give up on the bottled luck and just teach Naruto poker, or even roulette! I think with the amount of luck he has he could bet on a 0 ten times in a row and get ten wins."

Sarutobi chuckled, "I don't doubt."

* * *

The next match was Sasuke versus the Gaara guy from sand, he had seemed very impressive in his fight in the preliminaries and Naruto was worried for her boyfriends' safety. She watched the proctors' hand move down in slow motion and Sasuke jump back as a wave of sand collided with the ground where he had just been standing with enough force to flatten a building.

"Mother says she wants your blood," Gaara said in a scarily calm voice, "I will give it to her."

Sasuke glared at the other boy, "Oh?" he took out a kunai and nicked his finger, he squeezed a droplet of blood out so that it fell to the ground, "Then I suggest you have your precious sand come and fetch that as it is all the blood you will get from me today."


	15. Sand Storm

A/N: I was horrified to discover that it has been nearly a year since I updated cascading fire, there are many reasons for this but rather than make excuses I will just say that I've been… busy. This was also a hard chapter to write and I'm not hugely happy with it but I feel it should go up now rather than later. It's also much shorter than I would like but if people nag me another, longer, chapter will hopefully go up soon.

* * *

Sasuke eyed his opponent wearily, his opening statement had been cocky but just two minutes into the match he was feeling strained. The already sandy arena had been turned into a small scale desert with a motionless and apparently impassive Gaara stood in the middle, Sasuke stood just to the right of a large mound of sand; the remnants of Gaara's last attack.

For the last two minutes all Sasuke had done was jump around and try to avoid becoming injured – ok so far he was near enough unscathed but both him and the audience where getting frustrated. He needed to come up with some way past that 'perfect' defence that Gaara had but on the fly strategies where not his thing, he had always relied on his power to get by – sure he was no slouch but Naruto was much better at pulling out a strategy to beat superior odds.

'_Naruto,'_ Sasuke realised, _'What would you… of course!'_

Sasuke ran through a series of hand seals he copied in the preliminaries, "Hidden mist technique!" he declared.

Suddenly the whole area became covered in a mist so thick that Gaara would have no way to see him, ok so the plan lacked originality but it bought him time. Sasuke kept thinking desperately, _'Ok, what do I know? I know that he has a defence that can stop nearly anything I throw at him, I know that his sand is fast enough for me to need my Sharingan to avoid it… How does this help?'_ He was growing increasingly annoyed; anger bubbling to the surface at his own perceived weakness.

"I know your there," Came Gaara's voice, "You're not the type to run away, mother _will_ have your blood."

Sasuke realised the ground beneath was shaking and jumped onto the arena wall, moments later he saw a wave of sand crash against the wall below him. Visible again in the centre of the arena was Gaara, unsure of Sasuke's location he had thrown sand in every direction, somehow clearing the mist in the process.

"Found you." Gaara said.

Sasuke dived again as a pillar of sand collided with the arena wall where he had just been standing, but it was late. Gaara's other attacks had been faster than that one, he hadn't needed the reaction time bonus his Sharingan gave him to dodge that attack.

A thought struck Sasuke as he jumped back to the arena floor, as soon as he reached it he ran his hand through the sand, disguising the motion as steadying himself from a bad landing. _'There!'_ he realised, _'That's where my mist went!'_

The sand felt cold and heavy, a distinct dampness present within it; it appeared that when Gaara cleared the mist he had used the sand to absorb it. _'Judging by that last attack the extra moisture makes it heavier and slower for him to move – if I can saturate it… Argh! But I don't know any Suiton Jutsu!'_

Sasuke flicked through his mental catalogue of copied techniques, _'If only I had awakened my Sharingan before we met Zabuza!'_ he thought as he dodged another slow moving blast of sand.

"Stop moving!" Shouted Gaara in annoyance, "JUST DIE ALREADY!"

'_I could just use hidden mist again… but I would have to do it several times and he'd start to realise what I was doing,' _although he felt he had made some progress Sasuke was still stuck, _'If I can't summon water I have to get it from somewhere… but where can I… Ah! Where are we?'_ Sasuke mentally calculated the position of the stadium in the village and recalling all the 'useless' geography they where taught at the academy, _'Hmm… not ideal but it should work.'_

Sasuke made some hand seals before jumping into the air, he then proceeded to fall back to earth very quickly while spinning and, much to the audience's surprise, went straight past Gaara and disappeared underground. Silence reigned for several seconds, a light rumbling could eventually be heard, becoming louder and louder until Sasuke flew back out of the whole he made followed by a fountain of thousands of litres of water.

Gaara watched in horror as his sand became sodden and unusable, even his gourd had become rapidly soaked in the rapid flow of water. His face flickered through many feelings as Sasuke watched smugly from his resumed position on the wall – oblivious to the fangirls swooning at his dripping hair and clinging clothes. Gaara seemed to finally pick the emotion he wanted, anger, and as soon as he did his eyes changed from cool teal to a malevolent black.

Gold Iris stared at crimson as the two eyed each other up, around Gaara his sand made feeble swirling motions under what was now approaching a foot of water as it tried to move to it's masters will.

"No!" Gaara cried suddenly, "mY BodY! GIVe me mY BOD_Y_!"

The audience was slightly intimidated but nowhere near as much as the sand nin watching from the competitors box.

"What's happening?" Kankuro asked his sister.

"It looks like _It_'s trying to get out – but can't use the sand."

Kankuro looked at where his brother had begun to thrash wildly in the middle of the stadium, spraying silty water everywhere but achieving nothing.

"What will happen if _it_ can't make it's body?"

"I don't know…" Temari replied.

To their right Naruto was watching the fight with her heart hammering, _'Sasuke…'_

"OBEY ME!" Gaara was shouting at the ground around him, "OBEY MEE!"

The proctor was looking on in confusion, they had never had anyone lose their mind before – was that a win for the opponent or did it continue? He suddenly felt a Genjutsu fall over him, shrugging off the effects like any battle seasoned Shinobi he looked around to see the entire audience unconscious.

* * *

From her position in the Kage box Tsunade detected the genjutsu and immediately pooled her chakra, once coiled within her to a maddening density she released it at once with a deafening bellow of "KAI!"

A shimmering wave emanated from the aging woman immediately cancelling the effects of the illusionary technique, turning she was surprised to see Sarutobi in full cerimonial battle armour, "I see you suspected something sensei."

"As did you."

"Well, there has been a distinct smell of _snake _around here."

"Oh is that what it was? I thought it smelt like _rat._" Sarutobi replied turning to look at the kazekage.

Orochimaru growled under his disguise, with a sudden hand motion he summoned four aides that enclosed the three within a barrier. "Not as stupid as you look are you _sensei_."

"My dear student, if you had taken my teachings to heart you would know that deception is key… I believe most _genin_ are aware of this." The intonation the aging man put on the word 'genin' eliciting another growl from Orochimaru as he tore away his forged kage robes.

"And what, perchance, attracted your attention to my deception?"

Sarutobi smirked, "You agreed to stay for the inauguration ceremony, I've known the kazekage for years, he loathes ceremony."

"Tch, stumbled by an idiots preferences."

"You never did learn the importance of research when disguising yourself did you milk boy?" Tsunade teased.

"Don't call me that!" Orochimaru hissed.

"Oh I'm sorry, I forget, the skin tones genetic isn't it? Poor little milk boy, teased in the playground."

"Rekka!" Orochimaru bellowed, a purple flame rapidly blasting toward Tsunade.

Jumping away Tsunade smiled evily, she always could get under his skin when it mattered, "Now, now, let's play nice."

Orochimaru glared as she landed a few meters away, further up the roof, "Eryu-Endan!"

Concentrating his fire on Tsunade Orochimaru suddenly felt the wind knocked out of him and was sent skidding along the tiles of the roof.

"Dear me Orochimaru, surely you remember _some_ of my lessons, so easily are you distracted?"

Orochimaru fumed at his own carelessness, a muddy trail connecting him to the old fool, evidence of one of the infernal mans famous earth based techniques. Whiping the blood and some tile from his mouth he prepared himself for battle, this time ensuring he took both opponents into account.

"A lucky hit is all, I can easily take the pair of you if I am serious."

"Not fighting seriously yet snake face? I thought you kept Rekka for when you where seriously annoyed… unless your habits have changed?"

Tsunades' smug expression was driving him insane, how dare she look down on him! He was Orochimaru, strongest of the legendary sanin! Not some feeble medic who hid behind past memories… that was it! A slight change of plans but this battle was as good as his!

Running rapidly through seals he brought out his biggest move earlier than planned, "Kinjutsu: Edo Tensei – impure resurrection!"

"Shit!" Sarutobi yelled rapidly trying to run through counter seals, three coffins begun to rise from the ground, the text '1' '2' and a blank coffin rising like dark monoliths from the tiles.

A resounding 'crunch' filled the air as Tsunade kicked one of the tombs into oblivion but the remaining two opened slowly, Tsunade's expression grew blank.

"Dan…"

* * *

Yellow chakra began to fill the stadium but no one was watching, civilians ran under the guidance of genin as everyone of Chunin rank and up worked to fight off the invading forces.

An explosion reverberated around the stadium, at it's source a mildly injured Kakashi stared at a hysterically laughing Anko, "What the hell did you just do?"

"Little technique I've been working on."

"LITTLE?"

"What? Worked didn't it?"

"We're trying to repel invaders not destroy our own infrastructure!" He yelled pointing at the destroyed section of stadium with one hand and throwing a kunai _threw_ an enemies head with the other.

"A little damage will do no harm." She replied nonchalantly as a snake shot from inside her jacket and closed its' jaws around the throat of a man trying to sneak up on her.

"LITTLE? Any more and we would have lost the whole wall!"

"Don't exaggerate, it would have required more than that, I'd say that was only about as powerful as two or three exploding tags." She watched Kakashi throw another kunai over his shoulder and it imbed between another opponents eyes, "Good shot by the way."

Kakashi shook his head, "And how much chakra did that little stunt blow?"

Anko shrugged and bent over allowing an enemy shuriken to pass over her head and be caught by her colleague, "About the same amount as making a mud clone." She replied flicking a poisoned senbon at the their attackers crotch.

A scream reverberated around the stadium and Kakashi winced, "I still think it was a wasteful technique, you've been hanging around Naruto to much… and that was just mean no matter what side he was on."

Anko smirked, "Yeah well, I'm in that kind of mood… race you to twenty kills."

Kakashi thought for a moment, "Stakes?"

Anko smirked, "My dango supplies for a week against your precious book."

Kakashi smirked, "You're on."

* * *

The chakra swirling around Gaara was growing more frantic and dangerous, tendrils whipped around and caused serious damage to walls that got in there way, the sight of a three meter gouge being burnt through the wall made Sasuke decide tactical retreat may be the best option.

'_Coward.'_

"Who said that?"

'_Coward, does it matter who, it's true all the same.'_

"I can't fight something I can't touch or get near!"

'_Itachi could.'_

"Shut Up!"

'_Itachi isn't scared of a little ginger genin from sand, he killed the whole mighty Uchiha clan, what does he have to fear from a single genin?'_

"It's not the same!"

'_Really? You could take this guy, you can be as strong as itachi.'_

"How?"

'_Use it.'_

"Use what?"

'_The power you feel within you, that swirl of strength, that intoxicating feeling you got killing those Shinobi in the forest.'_

"NO! Nothing good will come of that power!"

'_Your words or those that have been told to you?'_

"They where told to me because they are true!"

'_They where told to you to limit your strength! What good are you to them as breeding stock if you are strong enough to resist? They don't care so long as they get the Sharingan!'_

"No, no, no, no, no, no!"

'_Run out of arguments? Just a little, it will feel great.'_

"I suppose a little, to help me protect…"

'…_protect? What good is protection next to power?"_

"Eh, but what else do I need power for?"

'_Revenge!'_

"But Gaara has done me no wrong."

'_He exists that is his crime!'_

Sasuke shook his head violently, "Again with the stupid voices!"

"Sasuke!" Sasuke turned to see Naruto and a pair of terrified sound ninja running toward him, "you alright, this is the wrong place to be spacing out!"

"I'm fine, the seal was just acting up is all." The look Naruto gave him told Sasuke he would have been better off saying nothing, she was going to want a full explanation later. "I'm fine, really… if anything it's hold seems weaker, it didn't seem to hold it's argument so well, it tripped itself up."

"It _speaks_ to you?" Sasuke nearly punched himself, her expression was growing more concerned by the second and he was sure that he would have to answer to everything _'Hang on'_ it suddenly occurred to him, _'am I whipped?'_

Sasuke had little time to ponder on his revelation as the blond sand nin cut across them, "It's all well and good catching up but what do we do about Gaara?"

Sasuke looked round the stadium and then at the two sand siblings, "Aren't you an invading army – surely you don't care as long as he's damaging us?"

Kankuro grabbed his sisters back as she made to swing at the younger boy, "Listen you! Orders are orders but that kids my brother! Scary as he is he's still my blood!"

"Surely orders are…"

Sasuke was cut off by Naruto, "White fang." She said sadly.

Sasuke nodded sadly, Temari calmed and looked between the two in bafflement, "Our sensei," Sasuke informed her, "has a saying, 'those that disobey their orders are trash, those that leave their friends behind are lower than trash.'"

Temari nodded and extended her hand, "Temari."

Kankuro repeated the action, "Kankuro."

"Sasuke."

"Naruto."

"Alright," Temari said once all hands had been shaken, "How do we deal with Gaara?"


End file.
